


Missing Words (but I know you understand)

by JustMeWriting



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Aromantic writer, Asexual Character, Ba Sing Se, Ba Sing Se Zuko, Blue Spirit Zuko (Avatar), Canon death of a character, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, Cultural Differences, Dates, Fluff, Growing Up Together, Happy Ending, He/They Zuko for you, Ignoring your feelings won't make them go, Katara's mean I'm sorry, Multi, Nightmares, Non-binary Zuko, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Soulmates, Supportive Hakoda, They wear dresses and makeup, They're also kind of ace, Trans Zuko (Avatar), Trauma, they're trying their best, tradition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 47,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26600044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustMeWriting/pseuds/JustMeWriting
Summary: In Ba Sing Se, Sokka is left alone to help the King. When he finds Zuko by accident one day, green robes and a teapot in his hand, he doesn't quite believe what he's seeing.And when they're sitting under the moonlight, hands intertwined and breathing softly weeks later, he doesn't quite believe it either.(Something about vulnerability, trusting your instincts and growing up together)
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 64
Kudos: 361





	1. The city feels less lonely with you in it

**Author's Note:**

> So ! Here it is !! I'm very excited about posting this, I've been working on it since July and it's still going :) ! 
> 
> Here's how it all started: something like two months ago, I asked people on Tumblr for writing ideas. I got one from @whencomicstakeovermylife, and what should have been a quick little one-shot turned into... this. Somehow. 
> 
> Title used to be « I don’t know how to explain it (I just know that I love you) »
> 
> For the warnings : Claustrophobia, Implied child abuse and then not implied child abuse in the latter chapters, PTSD, canon character death are Sokka and Katara 's mom (+ Yue ? She's still kind of here). I'll add things as I think them/if you tell me
> 
> This fic will have no sexual content, a good bunch of consent being respected and no mouth kisses because ew

The first time Sokka hears about the Blue Spirit is from Aang.

He tells them how the mysterious person had helped him out of Zhao’s prison, without any more details than dual swords and a blue opera mask. Sokka doesn’t think much of it: of course, he’s curious about it, but there’s no time to wonder about things like these.

Their first encounter is… unexpected. The gang stopped in a forest for the night, tired but used to the rhythm of cooking and making their beds in a few hours. Sleep comes and goes in waves, and Sokka dreams of fire and ice and his dad leaving him, and he decides a little walk could do him good. He’s used to the nightmares, of course. It doesn’t make them any more pleasant.

He takes Boomerang with him, just in case. He marks the path behind him so he can find his way back to camp, and walks into the forest. His heart beats fast in his ears, and the trees hide the moon’s light.

In times like these, he almost wishes he was a firebender.

Almost.

He listens to the sounds around him. It’s all so different from home; it’s so much greener, so much more alive. It’s been a while already since they left home and Gran-Gran and the tribe, but he’s still not used to the drastic change in scenery. He misses the endless white of the south pole, and the green and purple fires that lit up the sky some nights. It doesn’t seem to happen anywhere else.

He hears a _thud_ a few meters away, and stops. It sounds something like wood being chopped but- it’s the middle of the night. The noise comes again a few times in rapid succession, and Sokka finds himself inevitably drawn to it. He’s curious, okay ? Just curious. (It feels like it’s important, somehow, that he sees exactly what’s going on.)

He stays behind the trees, squinting his eyes to see in the dark, Boomerang held tight in his hand.

If it wasn’t for the way the moon reflects on the blue mask, he wouldn’t have noticed them. They melt with the shadows around them, and Sokka keeps a shuddering breath in his chest so as to not draw attention to himself.

_The Blue Spirit_ , his mind supplies, like it’s an obvious thing despite it being the first time Sokka sees them. They seem to be… fighting a tree ? They swing their swords and the moonlight reflects on them just enough for Sokka to notice they’re here at all. It’s training, probably – although why here, and why now, Sokka doesn’t know.

He wishes, foolishly, that he could see the Blue Spirit in daylight. Even there, in almost pitch black, their movements look graceful and certain.

And then Sokka takes a step, and a stick breaks under his foot in the most stereotypical way. The Blue Spirit turns around, swords ready to strike.

“Woah !”

It resonates in the space between them, rebounds on the trees, rings in the air. It’s too loud, so Sokka makes sure to whisper the next words.

“I don’t want to fight you. I was just taking a walk, and heard something so I came to… investigate ?”

There’s no answer. The Blue Spirit stays tense for a long time, like they aren’t quite sure what to do now. If not for the glint of the metal swords, it would look like a mask floating in the air. It sends a shiver down Sokka’s spine, and the Blue Spirit turns around and starts running.

Sokka is tempted to follow, to ask questions, to thank them for saving Aang but… something tells him to stay here. He stands under the moonlight a little longer, replaying what happened in his head a few times. He always found the moon warm, in a way the sun couldn’t be. It’s something comforting.

Things happen, and he forgets to think about the blue spirit. During the day, at least; his dreams are full of blue and black and white and the swoosh of swords in the air. There’s something, here, something important about them that Sokka pushes away. It’s better than the nightmares, still, but Sokka can’t help but wonder if it’s common, to dream so much of a barely visible silhouette he saw once in the dark.

Zuko chases them, they run, settle down for a week and have to run again. It’s exhausting. They fight, and Sokka keeps the thoughts of _he’s so graceful_ and _he’s good at what he does_ buried deep behind a wall in his mind, with every other thing he chooses to ignore. The prince is too focused on Aang anyway, and they’re all too focused on not getting caught for Sokka to sit and observe. He just can’t _not_ see the way Zuko spins and jumps and turns with his fire, and it makes both awe and fear pool into his stomach.

He kind of hates himself for it.

They go to the Northern Water Tribe and Sokka meets Yue. She’s beautiful and calm and laughs with (at) him, and he thinks that he’d like to be loved by someone like her. She leaves him, though, like everyone does -Mom, Dad, the Blue Spirit- and it hurts so bad but he can only grieve in silence. There’s no time for weeping, no time for regrets and anger and pain, and the warmth of the moon when he looks at her is the only thing that makes it all a bit more bearable. He doesn’t forget about her, of course, but the worst of it comes and goes and there are _“more important things”_ to focus on. They may not have known each other for a long time, but it was enough for Sokka to start feeling something akin to _love_ , for the princess.

They get to Ba Sing Se, finally, and Appa’s missing and Sokka’s instincts scream that there’s something wrong about this place but he keeps quiet. Their host smiles too big and the city is too silent for it to be comfortable. The days are long and uneventful, bleeding into each other like they haven’t in a long, long time. It leaves him restless, and he wanders the city for hours, with no purpose.

The next time he sees the Blue Spirit, he’s not even sure it’s not a trick of the light. Lake Laogai is deep and scary and Sokka swallows the shudders when they start going down under it. He tries to focus on his mission instead of the water around him and the dark, thick walls.

_It feels like suffocating._

They leave Jet with his friends, and Sokka feels guilty. He knows his nightmares will change a bit after tonight. He thinks of Yue and silently asks her to take care of the freedom fighter, even if he isn’t water tribe. He thinks he hears her humming against his skin.

When they finally get out and Sokka can breathe again, they find Appa. Sokka turns his head and he sees them; in the distance, black silhouette with a bright blue mask. Sokka nods a thank you, hoping whoever it is saw him. There’s no doubt in his mind about what happened. It’s clear and simple, the way he believes the Blue Spirit is good and here to help them.

There’s high boots and pants stuck in them, as well as a skirt to their knees catching in the wind. Their top is long sleeves and gloves clenched around the swords, and Sokka remembers the way they seemed to flow in the dark of the forest. He wonders what they look like up close in daylight. Here again, the blue opera mask is clashing against the black of the outfit.

The Blue Spirit turns the swords in their hands a few times, and Sokka’s breath catches before he remembers to let it out. They put the swords back in their place behind them and climb the mountains with an impressive ease before disappearing. There’s a strange sensation in Sokka’s stomach, like loneliness and curiosity and want all together, but it’s too weird and there is no time to dwell on it. They have to warn the Earth King who- doesn’t know about the war ?

He dreams of Jet and walls falling on him and the Blue Spirit and fire, and when he wakes up he stays down until the nausea stops. Toph doesn’t say anything to him, but she doesn’t complain as much as usual when he ruffles her hair later that day. He knows she knows, of course, with the way his heart beat in his ears when he woke up. He bathes in his friends’ laughter, takes in the concern and reassurance Toph gives him in her own way. He’s so glad he has them.

Toph goes to find her parents, Aang flies away to see a guru and Katara goes help their dad. Sokka stays in the city to help the king.

When he finds the Jasmine Dragon, he can’t help but gasp at the delicious, sweet scent of tea that comes from it. He can’t help his gasp when he sees the one and only Prince jerkbender, either.

His hair is shorter and his face softer, somehow. Earth nation greens look good on him, makes him look more calm and relaxed. He’s talking to people and serving tea, in a natural manner that shows he’s used to it. And- shit. Well. Sokka isn’t blind, so he’s known Zuko was attractive, but there, smiling at his uncle and walking around tables like he’s dancing, it’s like he’s an entirely other person. Someone… new. Approachable, maybe ?

Their eyes meet, and Zuko freezes up before running to what Sokka supposes is the kitchen. The Water Tribe Warrior follows, and he vaguely hears Iroh’s shout of ‘wait !’ before he barges in, quickly looking around to make sure they’re alone.

“What are you doing here, jerkbender ?”

“ Jerkben- Whatever. Listen, I’m not hunting the avatar anymore, if that’s what you’re asking.”

He seems angry. But then again, when doesn’t he ? He’s breathing deeply as if to calm himself down, and well, _that’s_ a new development. Still, Sokka isn’t afraid. If Zuko was in fire nation red, with warmth on his fists, he would be, probably. He used to, at least. 

“And why should I believe you ?”

As he says this, Sokka takes a step and shoves his finger in Zuko’s chest. The firebender sighs, and his breath is warm. Sokka doesn’t know why that surprises him. He wonders if it’s a _firebender_ thing or just a _Zuko_ thing, like his scar and his voice and his determination to chase Aang is- was a part of him. Sokka relaxes, like that one puff of air is enough for his body to stop feeling like he’s in danger.

“I don’t want troubles okay ? I’m just serving tea.”

Sokka looks around the kitchen, half expecting Zuko to draw his fire out as soon as eye contact is broken. He doesn’t, and the kitchen is clean and full of aromas Sokka didn’t take the time to notice before. It’s a good place.

“I see that.”

“It’s my uncle’s dream. This tea shop, I mean. I’m _not_ going to ruin it.”

And he says it like he used to say ‘ _I’ll regain my honour’_ , with a certainty that makes Sokka believes him immediately. He doesn’t know why, but he trusts Zuko. It settles in his stomach, like every other thing he’s certain of. So he nods, and walks back out. He sits at a free table and sees Zuko comes out of the kitchen, stunned. His uncle approaches Sokka with his usual nonchalance, as if it’s normal for all of them to be here, like that.

“Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon ! What can I get for you, my boy ?”

“Uhm… Surprise me ?”

Not that it would be difficult. There’s not exactly a lot of tea leaves growing in the southern water tribe, and they’ve cut contact with the other nations a long time ago. They’ve had very few occasions to taste tea during their travel, too, but Sokka can’t deny the smells mixing in the shop don’t make him thirsty. Zuko goes back to work, and when Sokka comes home after a cup of tea and a little cake, his heart is still beating fast.

What is he doing ? He’s… making sure Zuko doesn’t actually try to hunt them again. Yeah. Exactly.

(His excuses sound so much like a lie, even in his own head. There’s something here, and he wants to know this Zuko who’s less angry than he’s ever known him. He’s alone in Ba Sing Se, and there’s no Aang or Toph or Katara to annoy him with this.)

He comes back the next day. Zuko tenses up when he sees him, but he approaches and asks him what he wants in his most I’m-talking-to-a-customer voice.

“What’s your favourite tea ?”

Zuko blushes. Blushes, like Sokka just flirted or something- he can’t help but laugh, and Zuko’s eyebrow furrows in the angry expression Sokka is used to seeing. His heart beats loud and for a second, there’s images of fire flashing behind his eyes.

“Stop that !”

He sounds angry and embarrassed, but there’s no fire and no punches. It makes Sokka feel braver, and he lets the next words slip before he has time to think about them.

“Dude, your face was amazing.”

Zuko scrunches his nose and walks away, mumbling about _idiot water tribe peasant_ and it makes Sokka snort. His voice is rough and raspy as always. Sokka doesn’t mind, when it’s used to explain why the tea Zuko brought is his favourite.

He comes again, the next day, and the one after too. They don’t talk a lot, because Zuko (“Lee, here”) is _actually, literally_ _working Sokka, go bother someone else_. Sokka has obligations, too. He’s not here to drink tea and have fun after all, he’s here to help the king prepare an invasion plan on… Zuko’s… nation…. Yeah, so he doesn’t bring up why he’s here. Zuko never asks about Aang, but Sokka tries not to talk about his friends too much. Even if Zuko doesn’t want to kidnap the Avatar anymore, he did spend months chasing after them and failing. Sokka still dreams of every chase, every near death experience- but he sees in the way Zuko tenses whenever their eyes meet that he’s feeling guilty. He doesn’t say it out loud, but Sokka hears it anyway, with once again an unexpected certainty. It’s enough for him.

(Zuko’s proving that he’s good every day. He seems happier, working with his uncle, as just Lee, serving tea all day. Whatever made him change is good for him. Sokka’s glad for that.)

Sokka comes out of the tea shop happy every day. He likes looking at Zuko work, likes the ease with which he runs around the tables. He likes the way the robes fall on his shoulders, too. He doesn’t actually have a lot to do, so he spends most of his time looking at Zuko or listening to the conversations around him.

He sees the way Zuko watches some of the women and replicates their movements after turning his back. He sees him holding his hands to his face and angling his body just a bit differently- and Sokka sees the difference, too. He doesn’t comment on it. He’s probably not meant to have noticed.

He has, anyway, and he thinks of the Kyoshi warriors and their dresses and the not-quite-uncomfortable feeling that had filled his chest when he saw himself in the mirror with the uniform. It’s normal, maybe. He doesn’t know any other guy his age to confirm or deny that, though, so he takes in that part of Zuko too. He doesn’t even have to try to love it.

He’s been coming every day for a week and half when he hears of a little festival coming up. Something about a river and boats made of fabric, apparently, an old Earth Kingdom thing that comes up every couple of years.

He wants to go with Zuko. He wants to go with him, wants to touch his hand when they lower the little boats, wants to hold it on the way back, wants to hear him laugh -he’s managed a few times, already, and he knows the way he’s beaming every time makes Zuko blush. He wants them to be friends, for real, and he wants to be able to tell the funny stories of his angry customers to the gaang. The want and the joy settles down, and he dreams of gold eyes and blue in the dark and gentle hands reaching for him.

He asks, eyes resolutely fixed on his tea. He’s been turning the words in his head and his tongue since he’s heard about it, like a mantra.

“Do you want to come to the festival with me ?”

“What ?”

He sighs, closes his eyes for a second or two and looks up. Zuko’s cradling the teapot close to his chest, and he looks like Sokka told him something unbelievable.

“You want to- with me ? The festival ?”

His voice is soft. There aren’t a lot of people in the Jasmine Dragon, today. Iroh is conversing with someone a few tables away, and Sokka is grateful for that. It’s not that he doesn’t like the old man: he just tends to meddle in his nephew’s affairs like Dad used to.

“Yeah. I mean… we’re friends ? Right ? Or something like this, I don’t know. Listen, if you don’t want to I get it, it’s okay.”

“No, I would… I’d like that. Going to the festival... with you. But, your- your friends are…”

“They’re not here anymore, actually. But I know you’re working so…”

“No, it’s okay ! I’ll go with you. Uh, I have to go serve tea, now.”

“Yeah, no problem, go !”

It’s only when Zuko is focused on someone else that Sokka lets his cheeks heat up. The fire nation boy is talking to customers, still looking embarrassed, and Sokka feels something like affection at seeing the other’s awkwardness. He was so nervous ! For nothing ! Zuko accepted his invitation, and he didn’t say they weren’t friends, and they’re going to go to the festival together and have a good, platonic time.

His outfit is pretty basic, in the simple green tones the Earth Kingdom is so fond of. _It’s not a date_ , he tells himself. He still let his hair down and brushes his teeth too many times.

When he arrives in front of the Jasmine Dragon, it’s Zuko’s uncle that welcomes him.

“My nephew is still getting ready, come with me.”

He leads them upstairs. Sokka’s never been here before. Iroh gestures to a door and settles in front of a game of Pai Sho silently. Sokka pushes the door slowly, curious as to what the old man wanted him to see.

Zuko’s in the middle of the room, in front of a mirror. Sokka has spent a long enough time in the Earth kingdom by now to recognize the dress to be a woman’s garment. Their eyes meet in the mirror and Sokka panics and closes the door abruptly. He doesn’t really know _why_ he did that, but he hears Zuko nervously walking in circle for a little while after that and decides he did the right thing. Iroh looks at him with a little smile, and goes on with his game.

When the door opens behind him, Zuko’s changed into an outfit similar to Sokka’s.

“Uh. Sorry for coming in.”

Zuko doesn’t say anything, but he opens the door completely and walks back. He’s embarrassed, for sure, and a little nervous maybe.

“You changed ?”

The other doesn’t say anything. He’s tense, and Sokka knows there’s something important here. He won’t push if Zuko doesn’t want to say anything but-

“It looked good on you.”

At that, Zuko looks up to him, frozen in the middle of his movement. Sokka feels his cheeks heat up again- does he ever stop blushing ?

“You know what it is, don’t you ?”

“You mean that it’s women’s clothes ? Yeah but… it’s just fabric, cut and sewed a certain way. You can wear whatever you want, Zuko, I’m not going to… judge you or anything. It’s dark outside anyway, it’s not like anyone is really going to notice.”

There’s more silence, and they look at each other. Sokka can hear, in the distance, the sounds of the festival starting. They’re late.

He lets Zuko push him out of the room and shut the door between them. Sokka gives a shy smile at Iroh, still in front of his game but with a hot cup of tea.

“Do you play Pai Sho, young man ?”

“I know some stuff.”

“Well, would you play with me, then ? My nephew is terrible at it.”

He says it like it’s an inside joke and Sokka sits down on the other side of the table, curious. They’ve had a few conversations, and the water tribe warrior can see he’s a good man. He’s probably a big part of the change Zuko went through.

“Zuko is lucky to have you, Sokka.”

“Lucky to…”

“He’s changed, and you helped greatly. I am sure, now, that he will not go back to his old ways.”

Sokka doesn’t know how to answer. He’s not sure how to say that he’s always believed in the good parts in Zuko, and he can’t explain how fast he trusted the other. He laughs awkwardly and lets the moment pass. He focuses on the game in front of him, letting his strategic side lead his movements.

When his friend comes out again, he’s changed back into his first outfit. They smile at each other, with something like shyness and joy before going on their way. Sokka thinks _if we held hands, would people think we’re a couple ?_ He doesn’t say it, and he keeps his hands to himself.

Night fell a few hours ago. They walk close to each other, heading towards the sounds and the light. Zuko is slightly taller than Sokka, and his sleeve brushes against Sokka’s skin when he walks. It’s comforting in a strange way, like a proof that Sokka isn’t dreaming the entire thing. Tui and La, he hopes he isn’t.

When they arrive, someone gives them a square of fabric and disappears; no one really pays attention to them. There’s couples and families and friends, laughing all around them. It’s the most real happiness Sokka has seen in this city since he’s been here, really.

They sit on a free patch of grass and look at the way other people fold their fabric. Sokka tries and fails, then Zuko does it too, and it’s more fun than frustrating. They haven’t had any time to do this, just sit and talk. Not for long, at least. Their conversations were always cut short by a customer coming in or Sokka having to go home; they flew easily, though, almost from the start. As if they had known each other for years, as if Zuko hadn’t spent the last one chasing Sokka’s friend around the world. They don’t talk about that time a lot; they should, maybe. But for now they stick to light hearted conversations and getting to know each other bit by bit, and Sokka takes everything Zuko gives him and stores it preciously in his chest.

When they finally get to make a somewhat okay boat, they follow the people to the little river and let it down. Their hands brush, like Sokka wanted them to. It stops at that, though, and they go back to their place on the grass. Sokka can feel Zuko next to him, feel the warmth of his skin against his. He wonders if it’s a firebender thing or just a Zuko thing. Maybe it’s just a _them_ thing.   
  
They look at the parade of boats in almost silence. There’s the other peoples’ conversations around them still, and the sounds of the night they’re used to hearing mixing with their breath. The air is cool and the moon bright in the sky. Sokka doesn’t think about Yue, this time.

“Sokka ?”

“Yeah ?”

“… Thank you.”

He doesn’t have to ask to know Zuko isn’t just thanking him for tonight. He clenches his fist so he doesn’t try to hold the other’s hand, and nods to let him know he gets it. It’s peaceful and quiet, and Sokka wishes the moment would never end.

“Have you told the a- your friends, about… this ?”

Zuko gestures widely and Sokka sighs.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Why ?”

He can’t tell him. He can’t tell him it’s because it’s _them_ , that he likes, just the two of them. Can’t tell him the gaang would try to come to the tea shop, can’t tell him Katara would hate him, can’t tell him he’s afraid they’ll try to separate them. So he stays silent, and Zuko looks away at the river.

At some point, they get up and walk back to Zuko and his Uncle’s place. Sokka likes the way their voices sound together. He doesn’t think he’ll ever have enough of it.

They’re in front of the door, and the street is empty, and neither go away for a long time. Sokka talks, low and soft, so the moment doesn’t break.

“I had fun, tonight. Thanks, Z- Lee.”

Zuko smiles, and Sokka knows by now what it means. It’s embarrassment and happiness, and the moon shines in his eyes. She falls on them and make Sokka a little braver, so he let his arms settle around Zuko like he’s been wanting to do for a long time. He tenses up, and Sokka knows he isn’t comfortable with contact, _he should have asked before, he’s such an idiot-_

Zuko hugs back. It’s awkward, like he isn’t used to it and doesn’t know where to put his hands and the thought makes Sokka ache. They stay like that for one, two seconds before Sokka takes a step back. His hands travel down Zuko’s shoulders, and linger for a bit too long, probably. He puts them behind his back so he doesn’t do anything stupid again.

“Sorry. I’ll ask before, next time.”

_Next time_. Like there’s not going to be anything coming up to force him to leave, again. They always leave.

“Yeah. Thank you.”

It’s still unusual to hear Zuko of all people thanking him, in his rough and shaky voice. It contrasts with the way he’s holding himself, in this kind of very particular way Sokka knows comes from the dress he’s wearing. Sokka likes it, though. It’s just another side of Zuko that he can learn and appreciate, after all.

“Okay. I’ll go back home- see you tomorrow, Lee !”

“See you tomorrow, Sokka.”

_My name sounds sweet on his lips_. He’s going down a dangerous path, he knows. He can’t keep telling himself lies, can’t keep trying to think that it’s just friendship, that he doesn’t want anything more than what they already have. He can’t tell himself he doesn’t notice the way Zuko looks back with that same kind of longing Sokka feels whenever they’re in the same room. He wonders why it happened, wonders if Zuko felt the same peace and trust when they met in the teashop for the first time. He wonders if it’s just him.

It’s a few days later, after another meeting with the Earth King’s admirals, that he sees the Kyoshi warrior’s colours at the end of an hallway. He misses Suki- he hopes she’s been doing good, and that the village held up. He starts running towards them before their voices rise- he recognizes them, but can’t tell from where. He slows down and quickly hides behind a pillar when the voices get louder. His instincts tell him there’s something wrong happening here: better to hide for nothing than to walk into a dangerous situation. The others may laugh, he’ll keep following his instincts until it starts always being wrong.

The trio walks closer to him and he stops breathing. It’s Azula, Ty Lee and Mai. What are they doing here ? The King told him about the Kyoshi Warriors coming, of course, but he didn’t have time to see them. Well… if he had spent less time with Zuko, maybe… It doesn’t matter. He was supposed to see them a long time ago.

As soon and as discreetly as he can, he gets out of the palace. He starts running after the first street, and before he knows it his feet take him to the Jasmine Dragon once again. They’re closed, today, so he settles with yelling Zuko’s made up name until he opens his window, a confused look on his face.

“Sokka ? What are you doing here ?”

“I- I need a messenger Hawk ! Do you have one ?”

“Uh, yes, we do- wait, I’ll open the door.”

Sokka spends the next minute wondering why exactly he thought going to Zuko would be the best idea. He sighs and follows his friend upstairs once he’s opened the door, adrenaline still running in his veins.

“Sit here, I’ll give you some paper and ink. We only have one hawk, but we don’t really use it. What are you sending ?”

Should he say it ? He needs to warn the others, but… Zuko doesn’t have anything to do with it. Well, of course he does, Azula’s his sister- but he told him he didn’t want anything to do with the war anymore. He just wants peace and to serve tea all day.

“Here. Uh, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I understand.”

Sokka nods and gets to writing.

“Can the hawk make stops ? I have to send this to my friends, but they’re all in a different place. If I write them a letter each…”

“Yeah, if you tell him exactly where they should be. I’ll give you more paper.”

Zuko sips his tea while Sokka writes. If the situation at the palace wasn’t so bad, the sound of ink on the paper and regular _tap_ of the cup touching the table would be soothing.

“Azula’s here.”

“What ?”

Aaaand he apparently can’t keep anything for himself. Zuko looks terrified, but not very surprised. If his sister is anything like he used to be, she must be good at being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“She’s here with her… friends ? They’re posing as Kyoshi Warriors. I saw them in the palace- I can’t fight them alone, of course, so I thought I would send a letter to Aang and the others. Toph should be in the city, still. Though I haven’t heard from her yet…”

Zuko stays silent but he sighs and puts his head in his hands.

“… Sorry I brought that up.”

“No, it’s okay. Azula is… She’s like dad, more than I am. It’s never a good thing that she’s here. I’m glad you didn’t try to fight them off by yourself.”

“Yeah, what good would I be if I get thrown in prison for that, uh ? I just have Boomerang with me and they’re expert firebenders. I don’t stand a chance.”

“You’re not so bad. I mean- I’ve won against you, but you’re a good warrior.”

It warms him, to know someone like Zuko thinks he’s good. He signs his last letter and Zuko goes to fetch the Hawk. It’s earth kingdom, obviously. They’re smaller than those in the fire nation, and way faster, luckily for Sokka.

Sokka gives it the addresses, and he thinks to add _If you can’t find them here, just go to the next place_. He tries not to worry, but there’s always, always something to disturb their peace.

When it’s gone, he turns back and sits down in front of Zuko. His friend made him a cup of tea, and they drink in silence before Sokka’s nerves become too much.

“What do I do now ? The king must think they’re Kyoshi Warriors. If I tell him now, I’m sure it won’t go well- they’ll hear me, or someone will tell them, and then I’ll have to fight and I’ll lose. If only I had more than Boomerang ! It’s great for hunting polar bears, not to fight Fire nation princesses !”

“I don’t think there’s much to do but wait for your friends. And, uhm, I know how to use swords.”

“Really ? That’s so cool. But you’re already a firebender?”

“Yeah, well- I meant, do you want me to teach you ? I’m sorry but it will likely take a few hours for the Hawk to reach your friends and come back. In the meantime, I can teach you the basics.”

Oh. Well, he’s right. Sokka tells him just that, and Zuko excitedly stands up and goes to his room. He comes back with two swords in his hands, sets them on the table and goes to explain.

“So, these are dual swords. You’re not supposed to use only one of them, but I don’t know where my uncle put the other set. I’ll ask when he comes back, it’s his. He doesn’t use it anymore, though.”

“Yes please ! I… know… someone who uses, uh, dual swords ? Yeah, and they look really cool, it made me want to try my hand at it too. We don’t have time for things like that, though, and I wouldn’t know where to start searching for a teacher anyway.”

They clear the living room of its furniture and stand, each with one sword in hand. It’s heavy in Sokka’s palm, so much more than Boomerang.

“Okay, look at me and do the same.”

Zuko shows him a few moves, both in offense and defense. A couple of hours pass, and they fight each other. Sokka’s clumsy, of course, and they’re in a tight place and scared they’ll hurt each other but-

“You’re doing really good for a first time, Sokka. You could probably master it, if you wanted. With a better teacher.”

The praise warms his heart and his cheeks, and he feels himself smiling. He forgot about Azula for a bit, here, and he feels both exhausted and relaxed. They put the furniture back where it belongs and sit down in front of the table once again.

“I started learning how to fight with a sword because I was always bad at bending. My sister has always learnt faster and better than me and I- I wanted to have something for myself, I guess. One thing I could do and she couldn’t.”

“I see. But, your bending is really good now, right ? I mean… It’s impressive. Even more when it’s not used against us.”

Is this okay ? Can they joke about it, now ? They don’t talk about that time a lot- it doesn’t bother Sokka because it’s behind them, now, but he doesn’t know how Zuko feels about it.

“Oh. Well… Uncle taught me a few things, actually. Like how to breath fire, meditation…”

Like whenever Zuko talks about his uncle, his voice softens and he seems to relax. _He feels safe_ , Sokka thinks. _I’m glad he’s not alone._

“You really love him, don’t you ?”

“He’s… he’s my family. He’s always been here for me. I… A lot of bad things happened. I was angry and bitter for so long, but he stayed with me, and tried to make me a better person.”

Yeah. He gets it. He would do anything for Katara- for Aang and Toph too, actually. They’re family in their own way.

Iroh comes back at that moment.

“Oh, welcome, Sokka. I didn’t know you would come today.”

He feels himself blush, for some reason, like he got caught doing something he shouldn’t have.

“Sorry I didn’t really… mean to come ? Something happened and I just… ran here…”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about this. I was just surprised to see you here.”

“Uncle, can I lend Sokka your sword ?”

The old man lifts an eyebrow and it’s Zuko’s turn to blush.

“He’s going to have to fight soon, and he only has a boomerang, so we trained a little with my swords but… Uncle, _Azula is here_.”

The last words were whispered, but they were heard anyway. The old man’s face darken and he nods. He understands the implications, for both Sokka and them. Azula is dangerous. Who knows what she would do if she knew Zuko and his uncle were here ? It sends a shiver down Sokka’s spine, and his breath catches in his throat until he has to talk.

“I see. Are your friends here, Sokka ?”

“No, but I sent them an Hawk a couple of hours ago. I can’t fight alone, and I’m not sure I can trust anyone in the palace, now. That’s where I saw her and her friends; they’re impersonating Kyoshi warriors.”

“She most likely already has people working with her, then. If you need help, know that I will always be happy to give it to you.”

_The Dai Li_ , Sokka thinks. She probably works with him- or, well, he would work for her. His agents as well. She _must_ have found a way, like she always does. Sokka’s always had some part of him telling him Zuko couldn’t be entirely bad, but for Azula… She hurts people and she loves it. She’s manipulative and a liar and not one to back down. Zuko has told him a little about her, just here and there. It was never anything good, and it made Sokka ache to think of a childhood like that. He’s fought with his sister before, of course, but he was never scared she would hurt him or… _kill him_. 

The hawk chooses this moment to come back- they really are fast. Sokka runs to it to retrieve the answers: Katara and Aang are on their way, and they’ll pick Toph up. He says so to the two other people in the room. He hears Zuko breathe out, and wonders if it’s from relief or worry.

“What do I do, now ?”

“You should probably go back to your house. They’ll go there, won’t they ?”

“… Yeah, probably. Thats where I said we should meet, so I can explain things better. I kept the letter short, to be quicker.”

The house _is_ what’s planned, and he should go alone to wait for them but…

“Can you come with me ? Just- just until they arrive, I don’t…”

_I don’t want to be alone. You make me feel safe. I’m scared. We’re just kids._

“Okay. Okay.”

He looks at his Uncle and the man shakes his head, with a kind of tiredness Sokka has seen a few times already.

“You don’t need my permission, Zuko. Just remember to stay safe, both of you.”

He hands Sokka his sword- it’s heavy in his palm, and it makes it too real, somehow. He knows Azula and his friends aren’t easy to defeat, even with Aang and Katara and Toph. He can’t do much, either- he’s the plan guy, that has to count for something but… He’s no bender. He’s a good water tribe warrior. It’s nothing compared to the people who want to harm them.

He thinks about this a lot, the way he feels useless, how he can do nothing but watch from afar. Even the thing he’s good at- making plans-, his friends ignore it most of the time. Aang makes too many detours, and Katara never listens, and Toph is mean when she wants to show she loves them. Sokka laughs and argues, but it’s always useless. It keeps him awake like Yue and Jet and the people who probably died because of them without notice or worry. There’s been falls of buildings, hits and bending and they hurt people, without a doubt. Maybe it was just an act of defence. It doesn’t change the guilt and grief he feels at night.

(He’ll forget those people like he’s starting to forget his mom’s voice, probably. He hopes they don’t blend into each other, hopes he never loses count of how many people he hurt or killed because there’s too many. He hopes for a lot of things. He hopes he’ll go back home with his dad and Katara. He hopes the war ends soon. He hopes he won’t lose Zuko or any of his friends. )

They walk fast and in silence, and Sokka can’t help but notice the way Zuko mirrors his nervousness. You never know, and they look around them in suspicion, stay far from open places and try not to run despite how much they want to.

When they arrive, Sokka slams the door behind them, and Zuko wastes no time before closing the curtains.

They fall on the floor at the same time, breath short and fast. Sokka waits for his heart to slow down before talking.

“Ah, sorry for making you come.”

Zuko turns his head to face him, and he looks exhausted and beautiful.

“No, I prefer it that way. At least I’m not worried about what could have happened to you on the way here.”

It’s not quite a surprise, but it’s still strange to have the confirmation that Zuko worries for him. It makes him warm and all gooey inside, and Sokka doesn’t really hate it.

“Thank you. For the hawk, the training, and for… for being here. With me.”

The other smiles and nods. The house is dark and Zuko’s hand is so close from his. He lets their pinkies touch, and the firebender doesn’t move away from it. It’s all Sokka can allow himself at the moment.

“Hey, do you want to train with the sword again ? We still have some time until they come back.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. Any training is good, I guess.”

So they train, and sweat and fight and Zuko’s patient and his praise isn’t said with ease, but it’s said nonetheless. It’s another hour, maybe, that passes before they hear Appa’s weight fall heavily in front of the house. Sokka’s heart beats loudly with panic, and he turns to Zuko.

“Shit ! There’s no back door, just get in my room ! It’s the third door on your right !”

Sokka’s bedroom closes right as the front door opens, and his friends are here, worried. Katara hugs him first, and asks him what exactly is going on. He explains what he knows, tells them he came back here as soon as he saw the three fake Kyoshi warriors. He tells them he stole the hawk, and it grants him a bad look from Katara but it’s easier than the truth.

“I knew I couldn’t fight them and- it would have just caused more problems for you, after.”

“Sokka ? Where did you get this sword ?”

He did _not_ think of a story for that.

“Uh, I- I found someone to teach me, so they lent me their sword. I only have Boomerang, you know, so I thought it could be useful to learn something else. But we don’t have time for that right now !”

Toph lifts one of her eyebrows and he remembers with sudden clarity that she can tell when people lie. It’s not quite a lie, though. Right ?

“Okay, it doesn’t matter, we have to go to the palace ! We don’t know what they have planned.”

No one tells him _you could have stayed to know more_ , and he’s glad for that. They jump on Appa and fly to the palace and dodge earth projectiles and Sokka hopes Zuko got home safely. The agents of the Dai Li are against them, obviously. They fight their way through, and he finds his few hours of training weren’t totally for nothing. He’s not great, but he manages a few good moves that keep one of them from a concussion or a broken bone.

Toph stays behind to fight off the Dai Li agents. Sokka tries to stay focused on the mission, tries to ignore that Toph is just a child and, yeah, she may be a prodigy but she’s a _kid_.

When they arrive to the throne room, the three girls are already here.

“Stop what you’re doing !”

Aang’s voice resonates in the room, and Azula’s smile is scary. The King, of course, doesn’t notice anything.

“The Avatar and his friends ! What a good coincidence. These are the Kyoshi warriors, here to help with-“

“They’re not ! This is the princess of the fire nation, Azula, and her friends !”

Katara’s voice is loud and the king starts opening his mouth when Azula takes a step towards them. Ty Lee and Mai follow, both already in position to fight. The gAang has been in position since they entered- they know how to get into battle fast, now.

“What a surprise ! The Avatar, it’s an honour !”

“Stop that. What are you trying to do here?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing, just a little visit to a neighbour kingdom ! Can’t a princess do that ?”

She spins on her heels and sends a blast of fire that Aang quickly swipes with airbending. They’re thrown against the wall, and Sokka feels his right rib crack under the impact. There’s black dots dancing in his vision for a few seconds before he sees Ty Lee through it. He lifts up his arm on instinct, the sharp end of the sword cutting through the kimono’s sleeve. The girl takes a step back in surprise. Aang and Katara have also gotten back up: at least none of them is too badly injured.

Sokka has Boomerang in one hand and Iroh’s sword in the other, and he can hear Katara and Aang fighting Mai and Azula next to him. Tai Lee would almost seem kind, if she wasn’t trying to hurt them. He sends Boomerang blindly, hoping it’ll touch an enemy, and come back.

He feels the air become hotter which each seconds, blue light appearing suddenly on the corner of his eyes with each punch of the princess. Before he knows it he’s on the ground, the girl with the braid looking down on him. She touches some seemingly random parts of his body and he tenses up.

He can’t move anymore. It reminds him of Lake Laogai and heavy walls and suffocating and he forces his breath to calm down. He can hear his friends struggling next to him, and when Ty Lee leaves his field of vision, he wonders if they’ll make it out of here.

(He’s thought that so many times already. They’ve always gotten out of it, but everything must come to an end. He just hopes it isn’t today.)

There’s a strange sound and the fighting seems to stop for a second. Sokka can’t see anything but the green and gold ceiling, and he hates it, he hates it, _he hates it_. He can see it clearly, distinguish all the tiny differences in colours and shapes. He can hear his friends and enemies’ shouts and grunts, water and air and fire rushing around and changing the taste of the air. He can see everything and hear everything and yet, he’s still _completely powerless_.

“Blue Spirit ?”

The Blue Spirit ? Here ?? What are they doing here ? They’ve helped before, but not like _that_. It’s never been direct, never in _the middle of the day_.

Despite everything, Sokka relaxes a bit. The Blue Spirit is an ally, just like Zuko would be if he were here. It’s another thing Sokka just _knows_.

He hears more fighting sounds, grunts and yells and _“look out !”_ s and swords clashing against knives, and he wishes he could see it. From the corner of his eye, Ty Lee falls on the floor with a loud noise. He tries to move his fingers and they do, just a little. He can blink, if he focuses all of his energy on that. His chest moves with each breath with difficulty. He’s panicking but unable to move, and he curses his uselessness.

Someone lifts him up and the change in scenery makes his vision blurry and colourful again. The person is running- they’re too tall to be Aang, and Katara wouldn’t be able to lift him. It only leaves one person, and Sokka doesn’t know how to react (well, it’s not like he can actually… react in any way.)

Ty Lee is still knocked out on the ground, but the two other girls are getting back up and following them. Azula’s faster, probably because she’s more used to the whole _running after people_ thing.

“This way !” screams Aang, and Sokka wishes he could tell them how to get out of here. He’s visited the palace, of course, has studied the entries and exits, knows where the most important rooms are. It’s a reflex by now: there’s been too many instances where they had to leave in a hurry. He wiggles his toes in his shoes and his fingers. Whatever the girl did is starting to stop- someone pushes a door in a wall and they’re falling, suddenly. The arms around him squeeze harder, and his ribs protest.

They land harshly on the floor, the Blue Spirit turning mid-air under him to take the worst of it. They get back up with a little difficulty and the person turns them around carefully so he can see what’s going on.

They’re in a sort of cave full of big, glowing green crystals. Katara and Aang are looking at him- no, not at him.

“Why are you here ?”

There’s no answer. It would be too easy, if there were.

“It doesn’t matter. Are you with us ?”

Aang asks like he has doubts. But, didn’t the Blue Spirit save him ? They set Appa free, too, though Sokka isn’t sure anyone but him knows. They nod once, and the benders seem to decide trusting them is the best course of action right now.

“Sokka, can you hear us ?”

Well, he’d love to answer that, but as a matter of fact he _can’t unclench his jaw right now_. His sister starts drawing the water out of her pouch carefully, but he knows it probably won’t help. Maybe. It’s not like a cut or a bruise; his chi is disturbed, he can feel it. She tries anyway, and it seems to accelerate the process of recovery just a bit. He’s still pressed against the Blue Spirit’s chest, and he wonders if it’s to keep him standing and steady or for another reason. Their arms feel overly protective around him, considering they’re still kind of strangers. They’re almost the same height, he notices.

He blinks a few times, feels his muscles relax bit by bit. He’s still in no condition to fight, but-

Azula and Mai slide down the same way they came in and lend way more gracefully than they did.

Aang and Katara react immediately: they stand in front of Sokka and the Blue Spirit in a protective stance. Behind him, Sokka can feel the other tense up like they want to fight too. He really, really hopes he won’t get laid down in a corner by himself while everyone else fights. Not twice.

There’s fire and water and air and knives, and Aang’s attacks do nothing against Azula. She’s too quick, too powerful, jumps too high. Katara has more luck, and she lends a few good hits on the fire nation girl.

Sokka focuses and manages to move his hands and arms a bit. The Blue Spirit’s voice is muffled because of the mask, and their whisper barely goes over the sounds of the fights around them.

“Don’t move, it’s better if they think you’re still paralyzed.”

They aren’t wrong. He could lend a surprise attack- his sword his still in his hand, even if he doesn’t have boomerang anymore. He hopes they’ll be able to get it back.

A few meters away from them, the wall explodes. Everyone stop what they’re doing, too stunned to move. Toph and Iroh land there, and- what is he doing here ?

“Uncle ?”

“Hello, Azula.”

“What are you doing here ? Are you with Zuzu ?”

Her voice is harsh and sharp, and the Blue Spirit’s grip on Sokka loosens up a bit for some reason. Azula’s surprise switches to anger, fast.

Iroh shakes his head before taking a fighting stance.

“No, we separated some time ago. He left on his own, tired of the old man I am. You don’t have to do this, Azula, I know you can be better than this.”

“What do you know about me ?”

Her anger changes target, then, and the next blast of blue fire she sends is Iroh’s way. Sokka wonders how she can hate her own family so much- and then he remembers what family she’s from, and he’s not that surprised anymore. The man easily stops it, and Toph sends a bunch of rocks toward the girl. With Azula busy, Aang and Katara turn to Mai. She fights well, but the Avatar and Sokka’s sister are better. They’re two, too, so that must help.

The Blue Spirit only moves to keep them from being hurt by an hit not meant for them. When Azula draws lightning, they turn around to watch so fast Sokka feels dizzy. He can feel their heart beating fast against his back. The light darkens everything else, and something like terror blooms in Sokka’s stomach.

_Not Toph, please._

He sees it in slow motion, almost: the light leaving Azula’s fingers, Toph’s terrified face and the slow, too slow rocks coming up to protect her. Iroh jumping in front of her. He catches the lighting and makes a strange movement: it leaves his body, shots through the hole in the wall and goes up, to the sky. Azula’s eyes are wide, and when the old man turns to let a breath of fire her way she doesn’t react fast enough. At the same time, Aang uses Mai’s distraction to send a big blast of air. The girls are knocked against the wall, and Sokka winces when he thinks of his own ribs. They don’t waste time: when they see that the girls aren’t getting back up, they run away.

Aang calls Appa with the whistle, and they all jump on him as fast as they can. They barely fit, but behind them they see Ty Lee and the Dai Li’s agents getting ready to fight again. Ty Lee quickly turns to her friends, though, and Sokka wonders why he never thought fire nation soldiers couldn’t feel things like friendship and worry. He can pretty much move on his own, now, and he gets away from the Blue Spirit with something like regret.

They dodge rocks and fly higher. Toph can’t see, up here, and Aang can’t direct Appa and earthbend at the same time. Something hits them and the Blue Spirit starts to fall with a surprised shout. Katara’s hand closes around their ankle and Sokka gets the other. His body hurts a bit still, and his movements are just a bit stiff, but he gets there in time and he thanks Tai and Lu and Agni for this. His rib protests loudly, and he ignores it as much as he can. He’ll ask Katara later if she can help him.

He sees the Blue Spirit’s mask slip and the way they try to keep it from falling. Their frantic movements don’t help with _keeping them from falling to their death_ , at all. His sister and him put all their weight to get them back as Aang tilts Appa the other way. Iroh and Toph are keeping Katara and Sokka from falling with the Blue Spirit, and for a second Sokka is hit by the image of all of them falling. They’re far enough now for the heavy rocks to fall back down before they touch them more; still, Appa makes anxious sounds as Aang urges him to go farther away. In a distant part of his mind, Sokka hopes Appa didn’t get hurt too bad.

When they get the Blue Spirit back on Appa, Sokka closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. His rib winces and he grimaces, clenches his jaw and tries to ease the pain. Katara’s strangled “What ?” is what makes him look up.

So, their mask did slip up. Sokka looks at Zuko’s short hair and his scar and how scared he looks, like a deer caught in a spotlight. He lifts both hands up in a sign of peace before anyone can talk.

“Uh… hello. Zuko here ?”

He’s so awkward, Sokka would snort if he wasn’t so shocked. (Is he really ?)

Aang speaks up first, once they’re far away enough from the palace and they’ve all more or less found their breaths again.

“So, what are you doing here ?”

He’s addressing both Iroh and Zuko, of course. The old man speaks up first.

“I couldn’t let my granddaughter have you, avatar. I knew my nephew would come, too. Azula is too dangerous, and I thought I could be of some help. I met this young lady on the way.”

He gestures towards Toph, who nods to confirm what he’s saying.

“And you ?”

Katara’s angry. Suspicious, too, as if Zuko didn’t just help them defeat his _own_ sister and her friends. Well... he took care of Sokka. That’s something. Oh- so they were kind of hugging, weren’t they ? That’s the second time and Sokka _didn’t even know_.

“Uh, not to break the mood, but I’m, you know, _still blind_. Can someone tell me what’s going on ?”

“The Blue Spirit is Zuko.”

It’s so strange to hear it, and Sokka still doesn’t know what he’s supposed to feel. Should he feel betrayed ? Is he _that_ surprised ? Maybe the fact that they’re the same person explains why he trusted Zuko so easily. Maybe not. Maybe he just liked both as two different people.

“Oh that ? Yeah I knew. Seeing with my feet, remember ?”

She wiggles her toes in that very _Toph_ way she has, like they’re all stupid for forgetting.

“And you have no problem with that ?”

“Hey, he helped didn’t he ? Then I don’t see the problem. Not that I can see anything.”

“I’m good now !”

His voice is the same as usual, and Zuko looks at his uncle before turning back to Katara. He’s clearly uncomfortable, and Sokka kinds of want to do something to change that. He keeps throwing little glances around, at them and the sky. Is he scared of the height they’re at ? Is he scared of _them_ ? They’re too many to fit comfortably on Appa anyway, and their knees are almost touching. Sokka’s heart is beating too fast for the situation, and he’s not even sure why it’s beating this fast. 

“I’m not trying to kidnap the avatar or anything anymore. I… I want to help you.”

“Why should we trust you ?”

Katara has her hand at her hip, without a doubt ready to draw her water out to fight. Aang still hasn’t talked, and Sokka doesn’t know what stresses him out the most. He’s tense, and he really, really hopes his friend and his sister don’t start fighting while they’re on _a giant flying bison_.

“My nephew is a lot of things, but he is not a liar.”

Her finger twitches but she doesn’t move her hand. Sokka breath out.

“He’s the one who got Appa out of the lake !”

They all turn to him, and Sokka feels his cheeks burn. He needed to say something, anything- and that’s what came to mind first. He can’t let Katara attack Zuko. She’s her sister, but he’s his _friend_.

“He what ?”

_That_ gets Aang to talk.

“I let your bison free.”

“What was your motivation uh ? Did you want to steal him ? ”

“Nothing ! I just- He’s a flying bison, _underwater_ , first of all. That must have been terrible for him, he was so scared when he first saw me- And you needed it, so I let it free. I told you. I’ve changed. I’m good, now.”

Aang nods and takes a turn, urging Appa to fly lower. They stay silent until Appa lands next to a forest. Sokka can see they’re all thinking about what to do now, with two new passengers and no more Earth king to help. Zuko slides off of Appa and put a hand on his mouth- the first time they flew, Sokka felt nauseous, too. Iroh gets down more slowly, but he doesn’t look very good either, though he hides it better. Sokka’s used to the landing, but it reminds him of his bad rib in a very uncomfortable way.

“So, what do we do, now ?”

Sokka’s the plan guy, right ? So he’s going to make plans.

“Zuko and his uncle obviously can’t go back to Ba Sing Se after that, and we can’t do any of the things we had planned because we don’t have access to the King anymore. We need to warn dad, at least. And anyway, Aang, aren’t you going to need a firebender to teach you at some point ?”

Katara gasps but Aang speaks before her. Toph seems bored, like she already knows how it’s all going to end up.

“You’re not wrong. I guess we’ll do that… I trust you, Sokka.”

He looks at the two firebenders when he says the last part, and Sokka knows they’ve almost won. He mentally takes back every time he said Aang was too forgiving. There’s only Katara left, now- dad, too, probably.

“I say we camp for the night. I have to tell you how I invented metalbending.”

“You _what_ ?”

So. They camp for the night, and Toph tells them the story of how she invented a whole new kind of bending and well, Sokka knew already that she was a genius but like… wow. And she’s _twelve_. He stutters and Zuko is speechless next to him. His uncle laughs and praises her, and she smiles smugly. Aang tells them about what he did with the guru, too, explains how he mastered the Avatar state.

“And what did you do, Sokka ? You must have been busy, if you noticed so… late.”

“I- uh, well, you know, worked with the King and his men, visited the palace… trained… with a sword…”

Zuko tenses next to him but doesn’t move, and Iroh has a little smile on his lips. He’s never been that great of a liar, but the others don’t push, probably exhausted by the travels and the fights.

They talk a bit more, finishing their meal quickly. Katara’s mostly silent, and the few words she lets out are rough and angry. She hasn’t been like that in a long time, and it painfully reminds Sokka of the long months after their mother’s death, when her grief was shaped like anger. His own was silent, and he spent long hours sitting alone with the ice all around and the sky above.

After eating, she heals them all, the cool water feeling like a blessing on Sokka’s side. The Water Tribe Warrior is the one who turns to Iroh to ask.

“What about the teashop ?”

Toph’s the next to talk, arms crossed and feet on the floor.

“What teashop ? No one said anything about a teashop.”

Ah.

“Haha, no, I’m pretty sure Zuko mentioned it at some point. Anyway, uh, what are you going to do ?”

Iroh’s answer sounds sad and resigned, and Sokka, for the first time, thinks he truly sees how old the old man is.

“We can’t go back for sure. It’s too dangerous.”

“Maybe you can relocate or- or have a disguise ? Azula and her friends probably think you’re far away and won’t come back anyway, right ?”

Sokka couldn’t explain why this matters is much to him. Maybe because it matters to Zuko, maybe because he likes Iroh, too. Maybe because the most peaceful he’s felt in Ba Sing Se was sitting at those green tables with a tea he had never tasted before in his hands.

“Uncle-“ 

“No, nephew, there’s nothing to be done.”

“But you’ve wanted this for so long ! You can’t give up like that, not after you’ve finally- we…”

It’s strange to see Zuko stutters through his words. He sounds desperate, and it makes Sokka’s heart ache. He closes his fists tightly until he can feel his fingernails pressing against his skin, so he doesn’t take Zuko’s hand or... does anything else he shouldn’t.

Iroh sighs, deep and long, and says:

“It’s a matter of the past, now.”

The next person who talks is Aang, saying he’s going to bed and that they should all too. He’s been pretty silent the entire time.

Toph gives her sleeping bag to Iroh and Earthbend something like a bed, claiming that it’s comfortable enough, and it’s just for one night anyway. The Earth kingdom is hotter than the south pole, and Sokka’s sleeping bag is heavy and lined with furs. He sets it without a word, laying down vertically and using it as a pillow. The grass is pleasantly fresh under him. Zuko looks at the space next to him and comes down slowly.

They’re close, and Sokka can feel Zuko’s nervousness at the whole situation radiating off of him in waves. He sighs and turns so he’s facing his friend and -oh. Zuko was already looking at him, and he turns his head quickly before their eyes can meet.

Sokka kind of wants to reach out. Take his hand, tell him it’s going to be okay, that Katara will calm down with time… But the open sky and the moon are looking down on them, and even if everything in him tells Sokka that it’s the right thing to do, he knows the others wouldn’t like it. Katara looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed when he laid down, and he got a smirk from Toph and Aang looking away.

He fell asleep, woke up, fell asleep again and woke up once more. The moon is still high, and Zuko’s so close that the warmth that comes from him is almost too much. Sokka sighs silently, and wonders why he’s been blessed with terrible sleep.

He hears movements and closes his eyes again, only to open them back up when a voice calls his name. He lifts his head and sees Toph, gesturing for them to walk away. He gets up slowly, careful not to wake Zuko up.

When he gets to Toph, her arms are crossed.

“So, Zuko and you ?”

“What ?”

She sighs and rolls her eyes.

“I know he was in the house when we came to get you, and you both clearly get nervous when we ask questions about what you did. So you two are what, boyfriends ?”

Sokka stutters and takes a few deep breaths until he’s sure he won’t start screaming and waking everybody up.

“No, we’re not boyfriends ! I’m not even sure Zuko is a- no, we’re just… friends, okay ? I saw him by accident one day and he’s, you know, changed. So we talked and I kept coming to meet him and- now I trust him.”

Toph nods and smiles a little. Sokka thanks Tui and La for her blindness so she can’t see the way he’s blushing (before remembering that she might just be able to see it with her feet).

“Okay. If you trust him, then so do I.”

Oh. So, Toph was never really sure- it’s good, the fact that she decides to trust Zuko because Sokka does. It feels warm and comfortable, to be trusted this way. He ruffles her hair and she protests, but she’s never felt like an extra little sister more than at this moment. 

He doesn’t tell her how strangely natural it feels to have Zuko next to him. He doesn’t tell her how fast they came to what they are now, how he sometimes wonders if that thing he feels whenever they’re near each other was already here before Ba Sing Se or if Zuko’s change of mind is what started it.

He’s still not sure of anything, not sure of the things he feels, not sure of what will happen next. What he knows is this : Zuko is good, Iroh is too, and Toph trusts him.

They go back to bed, and Sokka lays down slowly and makes sure Zuko doesn’t wake up. He looks at him for a while, just to look. He takes in what he already knows under Yue’s light, and, not for the first time, he wonders what could have happened for Zuko and Iroh’s life to be so… inconsistent. He’s glad Zuko’s changed, but he’s still not sure as to what sparked this change, and why there needed to be one in the first place. Why was he so focused on getting Aang ? Why does he talk so rarely of his family, why does he seem scared of Azula ? What did the Fire Lord do to make someone so angry, when Sokka knows Zuko can be good, and calm, and peaceful ? What happened behind the walls of that palace to shape Zuko into who he was ?

He falls back asleep with questions he didn’t dare ask before, when they were still safe and it was just the two of them learning each other tentatively.

The next day, they wake up early. Firebenders really do rise with the sun, but the others haven’t had the luxury to sleep in in a long time. When Sokka wakes up next to no one, the panic doesn’t have time to set in before he sees Zuko a few meters away, stretching and whispering with his uncle. They look like they belong here, in the middle of them all, under a pale pink sky.

Katara isn’t happy that Zuko woke up before them; Aang remarks that it’s not like he stole anything or hurt anyone. The girl stays silent for most of the time it takes them to pack up camp.

They’re gathering the last few things when Zuko catches Sokka’s eyes. He jerks his head to the side and they walk a little farther away from the rest of the group.

(Zuko’s voice sounds exactly like it always did. Well- it’s softer now, it’s not just anger that fuels it anymore. Sokka knows he’ll never forget this voice. He wonders why it’s so important.)

“So, your sister is…”

“I’m sorry about this. She’ll come around, I promise.”

“Uh, should we tell them about us ?”

It sounds kind of like they’re secret lov- no, Sokka. We don’t think about this. Toph was already too much. They’re just _friends_. “Friends _”_ don’t feel wrong.

“I’m not sure… I mean, I don’t think it’s easy to hide the fact that we…”

_Like each other ? Have been seeing each other for weeks ? Have spent days together until we became friends, against all odds ?_

“… are friends. Just until Katara stops hating you ?”

Zuko grimaces and Sokka wonders if ‘hate’ was maybe too strong. Knowing Katara, it’s probably not too far from the truth.

“You’re right. We should get back now before she accuses me of trying to kill you or something.”

It makes them laugh, and Katara doesn’t say anything when they come back. Maybe it’s because of Aang’s grip on her wrist when she opens her mouth. Sokka sees him looking between Zuko and Appa a few times, and he knows the little boy has already forgiven the firebender. 

They fly and Sokka keeps looking at Zuko. At how the other teenager (are they still teenagers ? How many wars do you have to fight until you’re an adult ? How many people do you have to lose ? Are they too young, still, to be grown-ups despite what they lived ?) is turned toward the city. There’s something on his face- melancholy, maybe, or something like regret. He turns his head at some point, and their eyes meet, and Sokka tries to tell him with a look what he can’t with his words. (Not now, not here, at least.)

Zuko smiles. It’s barely there- Sokka knows, though, to recognize it for what it is. They’ve spent days with each other, now. He knows most of Zuko’s faces. There’s still things, of course, he can’t quite understand. What emotion passes on the banished prince’s face when he gets lost in thought on stormy days or when someone compliments him too much are still mysteries.

Sometimes Zuko looks at Sokka a certain way, with a something under his breath and inside his eyes, and Sokka doesn’t dare hope or think about it yet. He knows he probably has the same expression on his face, sometimes. If they were still in Ba Sing Se, if every night was like the one they spent at the festival, if they didn’t have to run away... He would have let it happen, probably. Whatever it is. He would have talked himself into holding Zuko’s hand, would have let himself hope and wish for what he doesn’t understand yet.

But they’re not in Ba Sing Se. They’re on a crowded flying bison, high in the sky, or making camp under the darkness of trees, so he doesn't do anything.


	2. Stay with me (we'll be okay)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang, Zuko and Iron finally arrive at the village were Hakoda and his men are staying. Lots of tension, Only One Bed, late apologizes, cultural differences and a stupidly thought plan. Katara is angry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part two, finally ! So. My beta kind of... ghosted me. In the middle of that ? So I'll be the one correcting everything from that point on, that means there my be sentences that are phrased weird since English isn't my first language.  
> I feel very insecure ! About this story ! So I'd appreciate comments of any kind :)

They fly one more day, low and staying away from cities and villages. They find Sokka and Katara’s dad right where they planned it, in a little abandoned village not too far from the coast. If you go farther down the road, you can see the blue of the water tribe boats’ sails. Zuko and Iroh tense up when Appa starts going down, and Sokka wishes once more that he could hold Zuko’s hand.

Hakoda is here with his men, of course. They’re all dressed in earth kingdom greens, and it’s so strange that it takes Sokka a second to recognize them. It’s necessary- still, he’s never seen his father in anything other than the blue and grey of their Tribe.

Aang and Katara jump off first. Sokka goes after them, helping Toph get down. Everyone’s focused on Aang, and Iroh and Zuko slide down quietly. It last maybe two seconds before someone says “Who’s that ?”

The next thing is :

“Fire nation !”

How do they even know ? Is it Zuko’s eyes, the way they hold themselves ? Every blade is drawn in the blink of an eye, and Sokka doesn’t miss the way Zuko’s hands twitch toward the swords on his back. He keeps them at his side, though, and steps a bit closer to his uncle.

Hakoda takes Sokka by the wrist and wrenches him closer in one sudden movement. If Katara hadn’t healed him, this would have _hurt_.

“What is he doing with you ?”

Surprisingly, he’s pointing to Iroh. Do they not know who Zuko is ? Did they recognise him as the Blue Spirit ? Why isn’t _he_ a threat ?

“I’m not here to cause you harm, on the contrary. I am here to help teach the avatar firebending. I know I have caused a lot of harm in the past; who I was then and who I am now are not the same. The wind stays the same, but the clouds flow differently.”

At that moment, Sokka thinks that he doesn’t know anything about Iroh. He’s just Zuko’s uncle, for him. He’s his uncle- is it from his mother or his father’s side ? Who was he, exactly, before he followed Zuko into his banishment ?

“It’s true ! They’re not enemies !”

“Who’s that boy ?”

There’s something a bit uneasy at hearing someone call Zuko _boy_. They’ve never talked about it, but there’s the dresses and the way he holds himself sometimes that makes Sokka wonder if that word is the exact right one.

Before anyone can say anything, he gets out of his father’s grip to stand next to Zuko. He stretches his arm in front of the two firebenders in a protective manner.

“This is Zuko. He’s on our side. They both are. They saved our lives, back there in Ba Sing Se.”

“Sokka, that’s not-“

“You did.”

They look at each other, blue against gold, and it seems to last hours before Hakoda makes a move with his hand and everyone lowers their weapons. Not for the first time, Sokka wonders if Zuko can see from his scarred eye. If he can’t, it makes his fighting skills even more impressive. Sokka forces his head to turn, and his first thought is _I can’t wait until I can look at him again_.

“ _Zuko_ , like Prince Zuko of the Fire nation ?”

“I’m not a prince anymore. I was banished a long time ago, and I don’t want to return there unless it’s to take Ozai down.”  
  


That’s... not quite new. After they left Ba Sing Se, Sokka had wondered what Zuko would do. He seemed content, in the tea shop, as a stranger to all working for his uncle. He’s fought a lot, too, and Sokka knows it was nothing close to easy for his friend. So he wondered. He’s a bit happy, though. It means they’ll stay together a little longer.

_I waited too long to get there. I’m not losing you now._

Wait- where does that come from ?

“Zuko and his uncle are with us. I won’t tolerate any discrimination or- or hate, or violence toward them.”

Aang’s word is the law. Hakoda nods, and then he looks at Sokka and the boy feels himself smiling.

_Tui and La, I missed dad._

They hug and laugh and Toph starts a conversation with Iroh and Aang and Katara are with Hakoda. After a while, everyone gets back to what they were doing and the gaang, Zuko and Iroh are led to the house Hakoda claimed. He stills gives looks to the two, but he doesn’t say anything.

They talk about what they’ve been up to, their fight with Azula, Aang mastering the avatar state, Toph inventing a new form of bending... Sokka explains the meeting with the king and his advisor and walking around the city. The Water Tribe people talk about how different this is from home, the wonder at all the green, how seeing a field of cereals for the first time felt, how strange it sometimes still feels to see stalls of vegetables and fruits and meat on the market. Iroh talks about the tea shop, and does that thing where people can’t help but relax around him. Zuko talks very little, still looking uncomfortable.

He’s still in his Blue Spirit clothes, and the sun coming through the windows lights his face. Sokka is sitting next to him, and he tries to keep the glances discreet. He focuses on the conversation going on as much as he can. He feels like Zuko belongs here, with them, even with all the awkwardness and the suspicious look Katara never stops sending his way. Or maybe he just belongs here, with Sokka.

It’s another scary, not so unexpected thought. The water tribe boy wonders again if Zuko feels it too, all these things about wanting to hold hands and the warmth that spreads in his chest when they’re near each other.

Back in Ba sing se, Sokka spent his nights tossing and turning in bed, trying not to think about why he couldn’t sleep -he missed Zuko, as simple as that was. He missed his friends, too, of course. He missed his dad and Gran-Gran and Suki and Yue, but that was nothing new. Even after the first time they saw each other, there was the want to come back and know more, and the thought that Zuko and Iroh’s house must have felt warmer than the empty one Sokka was stuck in.

(He wonders if it’s always been here, if he just never let himself feel it. He remembers childhood days spent outside looking for something- there’s always been a coldness in his heart. Sokka tried to fill it with a lot of things: love for his family and his tribe, hunting, learning to fight, food, art. At some point, he learnt to accept that it would always be here and he moved on. Here, on green earth nation couches with Zuko next to him, he notices that he doesn’t feel cold anymore. Maybe he hasn’t felt cold in a while.)

He’s been staring at Zuko. Aang and Hakoda are still talking, and Toph is smirking at Sokka, and Zuko’s cheek is a bit red. He turns his head slightly and their eyes meet, and Sokka let himself hold it for the shortest time before he turns away. He glances at Katara, but she doesn’t seem to have noticed. Toph definitely did, though, and on Zuko’s other side Iroh is sporting a small smile too. Ugh.

Then, Hakoda asks the thing they’ve all neglected until now with a look at the two firebenders.

“What about the plan, then ? What do we do now that we don’t have the earth king’s help ?”

No one says anything, and Sokka doesn’t know if it’s because they don’t know or if it’s Iroh and Zuko being here that makes them wary. Hakoda ends up asking them politely if they can wait outside. They both get up and bow before doing what he asked.

“This is an interesting addition. Do you really trust them ? »

Katara furrows her eyebrows and crosses her arms.

« I don’t. He says he’s changed, but I’m sure he’s going to- double cross us, or lead us to his father or something like this. »

She spits the word _father_ and Sokka can’t say he doesn’t agree with her on that. Hakoda turns to him next, curiosity in his eyes.

Sokka sits up straighter. His heart beats fast. He knows what he has to say, and he knows Katara is wrong.

« I trust them. Zuko has helped us before- you must have heard of the Blue Spirit, right ? It’s him. Iroh protected Toph. He saved her life, with whatever he did with that lightning. »

Hakoda looks at him for a little longer, and Sokka feels sweat pooling on his hands. His father nods, and Katara looks equally embarrassed and angry.

« He did that. Pretty impressive, and I’m a Beifong. I trust them too, if I have a say in this. Besides, they’ve had plenty of occasions to harm us already and they didn’t do it, so that counts for something. »

Sokka doesn’t like the idea that it’s everyone against Katara, but he also dislikes the way she’s been acting. He knows the fire nation hurt her- them. Their mother died. But Zuko and Iroh aren’t the fire nation; they aren’t the one whose hand choked and burnt their mother. He didn’t quite forgive Zuko for the chasing and the hurt he’s caused, but he knows he doesn’t have the whole story yet. He knows he doesn’t know everything, knows there’s more than what Zuko let them see of him -anger and honour and rage. He’ll wait for answers as long as he can. He wants to believe Zuko’s always had good in him, and that there were reasons that forced him into someone he wasn’t.

Hakoda crosses his arms and sighs. He looks like a warrior, there, a man with heavy responsibilities much more than just _Sokka’s dad_. 

“Let’s stop here for today. You must be tired; Bato will guide you to your house. We didn’t plan for your two new companions, so you’ll have to arrange the rooms how you want. We have lunch in about an hour, and we all eat together as per Southern Water Tribe tradition. There’s a garden for your bison, too, Avatar.”

They thank him and nod before going outside. Iroh and Zuko are across the street, talking quietly. When they approach, they catch the end of a sentence (“- which is why this tea tastes better”).

Sokka explains the situation quickly, and Bato waves at them from a few houses away.

“Hey, kids ! Your house is this way. So there’s a bathroom, a kitchen, a dining room and two bedrooms with two places to sleep each. There’s a couch, though. They’re actually very comfortable !”

Appa lay on the grass near the house and they bring their bags down. The house is pretty big, in browns and greens and whites (nothing surprising, considering it’s the earth kingdom. What’s with all this color coding thing ?) The dining room is very spacious, and the couch is comfortable. Sokka could just fall asleep right here.

“We should decide on the rooms now.”

Katara looks a bit more relaxed, but she doesn’t leave her pouch of water and she doesn’t stop looking at Zuko and his uncle suspiciously.

“You’re right ! I guess you and Toph will sleep together ?”

“Shouldn’t we do three people per room ?”

“Aang, there’s no way we’ll fit in the beds that way. Besides, someone can sleep on the couch.”

“Not Zuko. I don’t trust him. I don’t want to leave him alone.”

“Oh really ? We hadn’t noticed. I’ll sleep with him.”

What can he say, he’s the meat and sarcasm guy. He doesn’t look at Zuko when he says that, though. _Sleep with him_. He should have said it differently.

“I don’t think-“

“Katara. For the hundred times, they both had many occasions to harm us. And I may not be a bender, but I’m a warrior. I know how to defend myself.”

He hates having to say this, like Zuko is dangerous. He doesn’t really have a choice, though, if he wants to convince Katara. She knows his statute of warrior is important to him; whatever she thinks of it, she won’t say anything. She grits her teeth but he knows he won when she looks away. The others are uncomfortably silent.

“Okay. Then, that’s done. Come on, we’ll choose a room.”

Sokka walks away without listening to Katara’s protests and open the first door he finds. There’s a twin bed in the middle of the room, but that’s about it. If the village is abandoned (why ?), it’s obvious that the people went away with their stuff. The bed was probably too heavy, though they did take the sheets. Sleeping in a real bed is going to be _weird_.

“Are you really okay with this ?”

It gets Sokka out of his reverie and he jumps a little at Zuko’s voice. He turns around to find him stiff and uncomfortable. Does he ever relax ? (He knows he does, because he’s familiar with both Zuko at the tea shop and Zuko in this room, right now.)

“I wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t, Zuko. I trust you.”

He looks in his eyes when he says that, and he tries to communicate silently how true it is. Zuko’s breath catches for a second or two in his throat, it seems, before it blooms into a smile.

“Me too.”

Sokka isn’t sure if he means _I trust you too_ or _I trust myself too_ , but both are okay with him. He sets his bag down, tries not to think about the one bed situation.

“Oh ! Wait, you don’t have other clothes than those, right ?”

Zuko looks down on himself and grimaces. He’s been wearing those for a long time and he fought in it so it really must be uncomfortable -Sokka would know.

“No, I don’t have anything else. But I noticed your- father and his men are in earth kingdom clothes ? So they must have... bought them or found them somewhere. And I think we’re all going to need to wear them, too. It would be suspicious otherwise, if someone were to come through.”

That’s... yeah, that’s smart.

“You’re right ! I’ll see what they have or what they can get us, stay here.”

Zuko nods and sits on the bed, looking around.

When Sokka passes by the living room, the group is still discussing who will sleep where, and he rolls his eyes. He tells them what he’s going to do and heads out quickly.

People wave at him when he passes, and it feels like home out of home. People he knows in a place he doesn’t, both almost right and almost wrong. He got used to the never ending flying with his sister and two kids, the being lonely without ever being alone kind of thing. Honestly, being friends with Zuko was really a relief. To be able to talk with someone his age, not having to keep himself from cursing too much, and the general idea of just... having someone else. There was Suki and Yue, of course, but they’ve met and left too fast for anything as big as _deep friendship_ to settle in.

He’s back to his father’s house by the end of all his thinking. It’s Bato who opens the door, and when Sokka asks if they have, by any chance, earth kingdom clothes laying around for them to take, he smiles and invites him inside.

“I wanted to come to you for that, actually. I figured I’d do that after dinner. There really isn’t a lot for people coming through here anyway. Everything okay in your house ?”

“Yeah, they’re still figuring out the rooms and stuff.”

“Ah, yeah.”

“I’m with Zuko. Katara is still stuck on not trusting him, so... »

Bato looks at him strangely for a second or two before he brings a straw bucket from under a table.  
  


“Here you go. Just take whatever you want; there’s a village a day or two away that has a little market, that’s where we went to buy the extra clothes we needed.”

Sokka thanks him, and the man goes back to whatever he was doing. The clothes, obviously, are green and gold and brown. There’s a bit of everything -nothing too expensive, but there’s all sizes and all shapes. Sokka takes a tunic and some pants for himself, setting them aside. He figures since he’s here, he can take outfits for the others as well. If they don’t like it, they can always swap with something else.

Toph already has the good colours, so it’s one less thing to worry about. He still takes some clothes similar to what she already has, just for the principle of having more than one outfit.

He finds something simple for Aang and a large robe for Iroh, hoping it fits both of them. He’s looking for something for Katara when his fingers brush against a dress, pale yellow and green. It reminds him of that night centuries ago, paper boats and the moon high in the sky. He hesitates, takes it out entirely. It would fit Zuko, probably. It has long sleeves and reaches Sokka’s ankles when he puts it in front of him but- Zuko doesn’t usually wear... this. His Blue Spirit outfit is more of a middle ground, and a mix of women’s skirts and men’s shirts, but days in the tea shop never saw him wearing anything but men’s clothes.

He sets the dress on the side, hesitantly. He searches through the rest, finds a tunic and a pair of pants. He takes a darker dress for Katara, closer to what she currently wears.

He puts the bucket back in its place, clumsily folds the rest so he can hold them more easily and slips out of the house with one last yelled thank you. Someone tells him they’re going to eat soon on the way, and he nods and speeds up a bit.

When he arrives, Iroh and Aang are playing some kind of game Sokka’s never seen before.

« Hey ! I got the clothes. What are you playing ? »

« Iroh found it in that closet, and he’s teaching me how to play ! Ooh, let me see what you have ! »

Sokka sets the clothes down and finds the one he chooe for the two. Aang immediately goes to try it on, but Iroh stays behind. He looks at Sokka strangely and it’s making him nervous. They haven’t talked that much, not in Ba Sing Se and not since they left the city.

« Uh, do you need something else ? »

The old man smiles and shakes his head.

« I just wanted to thank you for being a friend to my nephew. »

He keeps his voice low, and Sokka doesn’t have time to answer before Katara and Toph come out of the corridor.

« Ah, Sokka. We decided on the rooming. Toph and me will sleep on the couch, and Iroh and Aang will sleep in the other room. What did you get us ? »

« I have another outfit for you, Toph, even if you already have the right colours. I figured you wouldn’t mind something to change into. I got that for you, Katara. »

He hands her the dress and she makes a pleasing sound when she opens it.

« What’s the rest for ? »

« Well, that’s for Zuko and me. I already gave the other two their stuff. Ah, we’re going to eat so let’s just change and go, yeah ? You have to tell Aang and Iroh, I forgot.»

He gathers the clothes in his arms and jogs a bit to Zuko and his shared room. When he opens the door, the other is looking outside. Sokka sets the clothes down on the bed and walks to him. Out of the big window, they can see the Side of a mountain and a forest not far away. The sky is bright and blue, and Sokka lets the sun warm his skin a few minutes before he turns to his friend.

« Hey. »

« Hey. »

Zuko looks at him and they smile at each other.

Sokka stutters around words of _I found this for you_ and _you don’t have to wear it, it’s just that the other one suited you_. Zuko blushes, because he’s embarrassed or surprised, and he takes the dress without a word. He looks at it, folds it back, takes the other outfit and tells Sokka, _This is better. To fight, just in case_.

Sokka doesn’t press; he feels like he overstepped already. Zuko’s smile, though, when he opened the dress in front of him, tells him he didn’t entirely get this thing wrong.

Zuko tells him with half words that Aang came to talk to him earlier, about what he did for Appa. He says the Avatar thanked him, told him about the way the air nomads found their companions when they were still kids. The conversation wasn’t any longer than this, both of them still a bit uncomfortable around the other. 

They change quickly, back turned and each in a corner of the room. The Earth Kingdom cut isn’t so foreign anymore on Sokka’s body, and he presses the folds down with his hand.

They get out, meet the others at the entrance. They can hear the music from far away; Southern water tribe meals are always a party. Katara and Sokka look at each other with a smile, bathing in the familiarity of it all.

They sit with the rest of the tribe. People are propped up on chairs, sitting cross legged on the floor, or on wood logs. They’re singing and playing music, and it’s nothing but joy in the air. There’s two fires with steaming pots on top, and the aroma makes Sokka’s stomach rumble.

Katara looks happy. She’s talking and laughing, bathing in her culture. For the first time in months, she seems to relax entirely. Aang is delighted, talking with people he doesn’t know, moving his head with the music. Toph is smiling, too, quietly appreciating the hot bowl that was placed in her hands. Iroh and Zuko are looking around, curiosity clear in their eyes. When the food arrives, they sip it before looking at each other, with the smallest smile that says, _this is good_.

After the meal is done, the fires are quickly extinguished and the pots put on the side. It leaves a big space in the middle for people to come dance, the music having never stopped. The instruments are different than those at home, made with different material. They’re passed around as they eat, and Sokka finds himself with a drum at one point. The instruments may not be familiar, but the songs and the rhythms are. He hasn’t been this happy in a while.

He sings with the others, in the southern water tribe language. He hasn’t had the occasion to speak it for so long, and the words roll on his tongue with ease.

Katara gets up to dance, quickly followed by Aang. It’s all traditional, moves they learnt since before they knew to walk, and the Avatar stumbles through them a bit. Katara is happy to teach him, though, it’s visible. Sokka gets up, eager to join them.

He stops, though, considers things. He turns to Zuko with a smile and the other looks at him, in a clear _No, I’m not doing that_. They talk silently for a while before Sokka clicks his tongue and decide that he doesn’t care.

He takes Zuko’s hand, forces him to stand up.

« Come on, dance with me ! »

« No ! I don’t- we don’t dance, in the fire nation. »

« We’re the southern water tribe, in the earth kingdom. You follow our traditions. »

He lets his hand go, and regrets it a bit. He keeps dancing, reproducing the moves Katara did a while ago. Zuko looks at him with wide eyes, and it almost makes him blush.

« Come on ! Just move your arms, Zuko. »

The other sighs, and blush, but he tentatively brings his arms up to try to follow Sokka’s movements. He’s not so bad, but he could use more confidence.

Looking to the side, Sokka sees Iroh dancing too, following one of the tribe’s men. Even Toph is up, moving her torso along with the beat.

Sokka turns his attention back to Zuko. He’s smiling, a real, visible smile. The first Sokka has seen since they left Ba Sing Se. He gets lost in it for a second or two, before their eyes meet and Zuko’s smile gets... softer, maybe. They dance together, not caring about the Hakoda looks at them curiously from his place on a log.

Once their breath is too short and their muscles start to ache, they stop and sit, high on joy. Zuko sits on a log and Sokka at his feet, on the floor.

« Do you really not dance, in the fire nation ? »

« We really don’t. Well, there’s some kind of dancing done for the funerals, but it’s close to our fighting style, actually, so I don’t know if you can really call that _dancing_. »

« Hm. Well I do think the way you fight is kind of dancy; it’s choreographed, at least. »

« Every type of bending does that, though. It’s not exclusive to the fire nation. »

Sokka hums, looks at the way Katara and Aang are still dancing and laughing. He keeps his voice low for the next sentence, so much that the drums almost cover it entirely.

« Would you show me, one day ? »

« Show you what ? »

Sokka turns to Zuko.

« The way you fight. The different... kata, is that it ? »

Zuko nods, looks around and bends a bit toward Sokka. They’re so close that they can feel each other’s warmth.

« We can spar, if you want. I can teach you sword fighting more. »

« Really ? Ah, but, I don’t have my own sword so- »

Zuko closes his eyes and shakes his head.

« Uncle doesn’t use it anyway. I think he could give it- or lend it to you for as long as you need. »

That makes Sokka smile.

« Okay. I’m looking forward to it, Mister Blue Spirit. »

Zuko blushes a bit at that, clears his throat and looks to the side like he’s embarrassed. It makes the warm feeling in Sokka bloom more, and he wonders if he’ll ever stop feeling all of this... affection toward the fire nation prince.

« I’m sorry for not telling you I was the Blue Spirit. I didn’t think you’d ever know, honestly. I never thought I would put the mask back on, but I couldn’t... »

His voice trails off and disappears, and he looks away like he’s thinking of how to say his words. Sokka lets him, takes in the furrowed eyebrow and the way he keeps passing his hand on the hem of his tunic.

When Zuko doesn’t continue, Sokka tries something, hopeful and confident.

« Were you worried ? About me ? »

Zuko looks down, and Sokka knows he got it right.

« I know you’re a good fighter. I’ve seen it up close, multiple times, but... »

He sighs, and Sokka is touched by the way he tries to reassure him that he didn’t come because he didn’t believe Sokka could fight. Even if he would be right.

« Azula, Ty Lee and Mai are very good at what they do. Extremely. I’ve... I’ve lost people already because of my family. I didn’t want to lose you too. »

He talks quietly, face scrunched up like it’s difficult to say- and it is, probably. Zuko has never been one for emotional talk. Once he finishes talking he looks down at his hands, a tired expression on his face.

Sokka knocks his knee with his knuckles, and his friend looks up.

« Hey. Thank you. You really helped. »

Zuko smiles and nods, still looking kind of shy and very tired.

By now, most of the people have gone back to what they were doing. Iroh, Toph, Aang and Katara are sitting next to Hakoda and Bato, a meter or two away from Zuko and Sokka. Hakoda waves them over. Katara is too happy to remember to send angry glares at Zuko.

« Zuko, can I talk to you privately ? »

He tenses, nods and answers :

« Yes, sir. »

He follows Hakoda to his house, Bato trailing after them. Now _this_ is a stressful situation. Sokka has no doubt about Zuko wanting to help them but...

There’s sudden pain in his side and Toph snickering next to him.

« D’you have fun ? »

« Wha... yeah. »

Toph laughs some more, like there’s some kind of secret joke only her knows. Well, Sokka can guess what she’s thinking; she thought Zuko was his boyfriend, after all, and him denying it didn’t seem to change her mind.

When everyone else is distracted, he walks to his father’s house. Now, eavesdropping isn’t a good thing but Sokka can’t help his curiosity (and worry). When he arrives, though, he can’t hear anything. They’re probably in another room; he sits on the stairs and waits.

Katara sits next to him.

« What are you doing ? »

« Uh... waiting for dad and Zuko to finish... talking ? »

She furrows her eyebrows, but this time there’s something closer to a lack of understanding than to anger.

« Why do you care so much about him ? »

That’s... difficult to say, without admitting that Zuko and him have been friends for longer than she knows.

« He’s part of the group, now. So of course I... worry. I’d do the same for you. Well, no, cause it’s dad so I wouldn’t be worried but if it was Aang or Toph- »

« Okay, okay, I get it. »

They stay here for a long time. Aang, Toph and Iroh join them at some point and they start talking about everything and nothing. Iroh is really interested in the southern water tribe culture, and Sokka and Katara take pride in explaining it to the old man.

The door opens behind them, Hakoda letting Zuko out first. He looks surprised to see them here for a second or two before a very serious expression colours his face.

He bows then, deeply, and apologizes.

“I haven’t apologized for my actions yet, to you. I’m sincerely sorry for the pain I’ve caused. I was blind to the truth and to the real path I was supposed to take for a very long time. I understand now that my father never wanted me home, and that the mission to get the avatar was nothing but a way to lead me away. I have put too much faith in him, and I know now that it’s wrong. What he did was wrong, to my mother and to me.”

There’s a second of pause, like he isn’t sure about what he’ll say next.

“What he did and still do to Azula is wrong, too. I understand if you can’t forgive me.”

He looks at Katara at that, quickly, before standing up a bit. His head is still down, and his fists are tight at his side.

“I... met someone who helped me understand that I could be more than the banished prince of the fire nation. I can be more than my past and the terrible things I’ve done. I can’t go back in time to change them, but I can make sure to be good, from now on.”

Sokka wants to hug him _so bad_. He wants to hug him and tell him that he’s forgiven, that he’s trusted and loved- but Aang is faster, and with a push of airbending he’s clinging to Zuko. He’s clearly not used to it, looks a bit scared before he melts in the embrace. He must not be hugged often, Sokka thinks.

Next to him, Iroh discreetly passes his sleeve on his eyes. He approaches his nephew, and waits until Aang has let go of him with a « thank you so much, I understand. ». He takes Zuko’s hands slowly and before the younger of the two has time to do more than open his mouth, he talks.

“Zuko. When Lu Ten died, I was devastated. I thought life had no meaning anymore. But you allowed me to take care of you and to accompany you in your travels. I am proud of you, nephew. You know I see you as my son.”

It’s Zuko who initiates the hug this time, and his shoulders are shaking with what must be silent sobs. Sokka takes in a sharp breath and blinks his own tears away. Toph, next to him, leans against him. He smiles, even if she can’t see if.

Once Iroh and Zuko separate, they both have red eyes and make a quick job of wiping the tears away. Zuko clears his throat, passes a hand in his hair and looks at Katara. The girl sighs and crosses her arms.

“Apologies accepted. But it doesn’t mean I’m forgiving you yet !”

“I understand.”

Toph comes to him, hits his arm (she has a pretty violent way of showing her affection).

“Come on, Grumpy Pants **,** you’re part of the gang now.”

“You mean the gaAng ! Please, Toph, respect our group name.”

Zuko and Sokka look at each other and they smile.

“Okay ! Now that this is done, I expect you two to participate in the life of the tribe from now on. Just come see Bato if you don’t know what to do; he’ll find something.”

Hakoda waves the gaAng inside, and they settle in the living room until Bato comes back. He sends Zuko to help one of the men in charge of taking care of the different weapons.

They discuss what they’re going to do now that they don’t have the Ba Sing Se with them. They suggest a hundred different things, and when the sun starts to set, they end up with a plan. Katara and Aang make a list of the people they’ve met who could help; they circle places on a map, explain how they met, give names and descriptions. Hakoda listens carefully, doesn’t dismiss their ideas, work with them like they’re adults. And Sokka feels something like pride and joy grow in his chest, warmth spreading in his whole body.

When they finally leave the house, dinner has come and gone. They ate while discussing the new plan, quickly. They open the door of their house carefully, mindful of the cracking of the wood. Iroh is still up, sitting on the couch before one of the games he found earlier.

They say their goodnight, and Sokka slips into the room as quietly as he can. He closes the door behind him. It’s dark, the light blown out. Zuko is sitting on the bed, cross legged and facing the window. He doesn’t turn immediately at Sokka’s arrival, and Sokka takes a few cautious steps.

He feels like he interrupted... something. A moment. Zuko, alone, looking at the sky, in the dark. What was he thinking about ?

“You were out late.”

His voice is soft, and there’s no anger or worry. It’s just an observation.

“Yeah. Did you have something to eat ?”

Sokka walks closer, and finds himself looking at the night sky, too. The moon is almost full, already. He’ll be able to feel Yue soon.

“We ate with the others. They were kind.”

Sokka feels lighter, at these words. He didn’t know how worried he’d been before Zuko had reassured him.

“That’s good.”

They stay silent for a minute or fifteen, eyes on the dark blue and the white dots. Sokka moves quietly, reaching for his pyjamas. It seems strange, not to have to sleep in his day clothes.

The idea doesn’t actually dawn on him until he’s changed and ready to go to bed. Zuko is laying down now, his back to Sokka.

They’re going to sleep in the same bed.

They’ll be close, and Sokka knows he’ll feel Zuko’s warmth and wonder if he’s as hot, too. It’s the perfect mood for late night talks, confessions and secrets they don’t dare say in daylight. Sokka finds himself giddy about this; he wants to know Zuko more, wants to take every fear and every pain and every laugh the other has to offer.

He walks carefully to the bed, laying down as close to the edge as he dares. He closes his eyes, ignoring the way his heart beats loud in his ears.

He forces himself to relax. There shouldn’t be anything stressful about the situation; he’s slept next to people countless times before. It’s _Zuko_ , though, the person he still wants to hold hands with, who made him discover more tea that he’s ever tasted before, who laughs and smiles like he’s still not used to it.

His mind wanders back to the plan they put together earlier as a way to stop thinking about all of this. They didn’t get Iroh and Zuko into it but… who’s better than them to help ? They know the fire nation; know Ozai better than any of them. Also, no one said they couldn’t know about the plan (they will, after all, have to know at some point. They won’t be leaving any time soon, hopefully.).

Sokka turns to face his friend- well, his back.

“Zuko ?”

“Yeah ?”

Oh, he isn’t asleep yet either. Sokka wonders what’s keeping him up, too, if it’s the proximity or the unfamiliar place.

“We’re going to invade the fire nation on the day of the black sun.”

At that, Zuko sits up so suddenly the bed cracks.

“What ?”

“That’s what we discussed earlier. We wanted to have the Earth King’s help but that’s not going to work. We have friends, thou-“

“How many people do you have ?”

Sokka sits up as well, counting on his fingers for a while.

“I’d say, maybe thirty, forty ? It’s a surprise attack.”

Zuko laughs like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“You think we aren’t ready for the day where we are at our weakest ? Sokka, we’ve been ready for that day since before I was born. There’s bunkers under the ground; we’ve been ready for potential attacks for a long time.”

Sokka feels kind of dumb for not thinking of that. He finds himself at loss for words, eyes fixed on the sheets. They’re brown, almost black in the night light.

“You’re right… I can’t believe we didn’t think that you would know. I’ll tell the others tomorrow morning, then.”

Zuko nods, and they look at each other and Sokka offers a thankful smile. They lay back down, this time facing each other. Outside, the moon makes a halo behind Zuko. Sokka lets his eyes wander on the familiar features, the hair starting to caress his friend’s forehead. It makes him think of Yue, the way her hands felt soothing on his skin.

“Hey. Do you miss the tea shop, sometimes ?”

The answer takes a few seconds to come. Zuko’s voice is soft.

“Yeah. It was… the first time where I wasn’t a prince, banished or not. I could be Lee, be no one. I was never that peaceful. At least… I hadn’t been in a long time.”

“Yeah. You did seem peaceful. Happy, too, to help your uncle like that. I’ll miss coming to see you work.”

Outside the door, something cracks. Sokka smiles.

“Bother me, you mean.”

They laugh a little, and the silence that follows is comfortable.

They wake up like they fell asleep, face to face, hands tucked under their pillows. There’s no accidental cuddling, no rolling around until they’re in each other’s arms.

The window has no curtain, no shutters; Zuko wakes with the sun anyway, and Sokka is used to rising early. He slept pretty well, probably because the day had been exhausting. When he opens his eyes, Zuko is looking at him.

They stay like that for a second too long before one of them looks away, and Sokka wonders what’s actually keeping them from doing _it_ , whatever it is. He sees it in Zuko’s eyes -he thinks- and he knows it’s in his; the want to hold each other, touch skin, let eyes wander…

He’s reminded why exactly they haven’t done these things yet a second later when Toph slams their door open with a loud _bang_ and a snicker.

“Get up, sleepy heads ! I know you’re awake !”

They get away from each other with hurry, Sokka falling off the bed with a yell. He calls after Toph, but the girl is already walking away, still laughing.

They get up, finding almost everyone awake already. Katara looks the slightest bit relieved when she sees Sokka unharmed. It’s irritating, but she doesn’t say anything, so he decides to stay silent too. They eat their breakfast with the rest of the tribe, music and voices low for the late sleepers. Right as Zuko swallows his last piece of food, someone asks him to go help with the boats; he barely has time to wave to the others before he’s going, Iroh having been taken away as well a few minutes earlier. The village is busy, after all.

It’s only then that Sokka notices Aang is acting… off. He came later than them, and he keeps looking at Sokka with an unreadable expression. He strangely stays away from Katara, let a person or two between them at all time. When Sokka meets his eyes and lifts an eyebrow, he panics and looks away. Uhm. _Very_ suspicious.

He decides he’ll wait until Zuko is free again to go see his dad. He’ll explain better, what he knows of the bunkers under the earth and the idiocy of trying a sneak attack on _that_ day.

Zuko finally gets free just before dinner. He looks around him like he expects someone to jump on him to give him more work, and he trots to Sokka when he doesn’t see anyone. They smile at each other and Zuko nods once. Together, they walk to Hakoda, and tell him they have to talk to him urgently.

“What is it about ?”

“It’s about the plan.”

Hakoda furrows his eyebrows before lifting one and glancing at Zuko.

“I told him about it because I thought he could help, and he did.”

They follow the Chief to his house once again, in a strange solemn silence. Hakoda’s tense, and it’s stressing Sokka out. He sees Katara looking at them suspiciously as they walk, but he chooses to ignore her.

Once they’re in the house, they settle like they did a day earlier. Sokka lets Zuko explain what he told him; he stutters just a bit at first but becomes more confident when he sees Hakoda is listening to him.

The man’s face becomes darker at each sentence, and the silence is heavy when Zuko finishes talking. It makes Sokka utterly conscious of their breathing and the beating of his heart in a way that he hates.

“Alright. For now, we’re going to eat. I’ll tell the others about this; don’t say anything yet. I have to think.”

It’s clear that they’re dismissed. The two friends get up and out of the house, and Zuko groans as he stretches.

“Are you okay ?” Sokka asks.

“Yeah, it was just… Stressful, I guess. But it’s done now.”

“Yeah. It’s done. Come on, let’s eat. I think we have porridge today !”

Zuko laughs at Sokka’s excited face, and they follow the music to the rest of the tribe. They eat together just like they did the day before. Iroh seems to have found a little group of people who are listening closely to what he has to say; Aang keeps looking stiff whenever he meets Sokka or Zuko’s eyes, Toph keeps on teasing them, and Katara mostly ignores them.

They walk by Hakoda a few times before someone sends Sokka, Zuko, and someone from the tribe to the market a few cities away. It’s a bit suspicious in Sokka’s opinion, but he packs his things in silence (with how far it is, they’ll stay a couple of days before coming back). It’s strangely exciting, to go out with Zuko like this. Sure, it’s not like it’s just the two of them, but it reminds the Water Tribe Boy of Ba Sing Se all the same. They smile at each other and make small talk on the way. The men of the village have relaxed around Zuko and his uncle; they probably see them as the kind-of-lost teenager and old man obsessed with tea that they are, now. No one forgets the fire they can do, but they’ve stopped tensing when they walk a bit too close.

The man with them is Taqtu, and he’s been in charge of getting supplies from the start. He negotiates prices well and knows not to get distracted.

They walk most of the day, and the sun has started its slow descent by the time they see the first houses. The market actually starts the next day, so Taqtu goes straight to an inn he seems familiar with.

“We’ll stay here for tonight and wake up early tomorrow. I have a list of what we need; luckily for you, it’s not much. Do you have money with you ?”

Sokka nods and takes out a little pouch he always has with him.

“Alright. You’ll have time to go around and see if you want to get some things for yourself, I guess. We’ll just need to put the food and everything in the rooms before.”

They nod and take in their room. There are three beds, and it’s a little small but it’s just for a night anyway. Sokka smiles at Zuko, and the other offers him a little lift of the lips in return. They put their bags on the beds and head back down to eat something. They go to bed early -the market starts before Agni rises, and there’s a lot of people coming so waking up early is the best way to make sure they get everything their list requires fast.

They eat without music, go to bed when the moon rises (it’s almost full again, and Sokka can almost feel Yue’s touch on his mind. Just a day or two left.) and it’s a strange kind of intimacy but not quite, just the two of them but not really. Taqtu is asleep, and the silence takes all the place in the room. It’s like cotton, and it makes Sokka’s chest fill with something he can’t quite name. He listens to Zuko as his breathing slows down and even out.

They get up early like Taqtu said, and they can hear the sounds of the market under their windows before Agni is even up. They pack their things quickly, eat breakfast just as fast and they’re out. Despite the hour, there’s already people walking around and merchants screaming their prices. Taqtu tells them to stick close to him, so they don’t get lost.

It takes them an hour or two to get what they need: Leo knows the market like his own house and doesn’t waste any time. Sokka has seen markets like this before, of course, but he’s never been in one that big. Next to him, Zuko can’t stop looking around with something like wonder in his eyes. It makes Sokka smile, and he blesses the crowded place that lets him hold Zuko’s sleeve without anyone noticing. It’s not his hand, but it’s close enough.

Once every item on their list is in their bags, Taqtu guides them a little farther away from the worse of the crowd.

“Alright, we’re good. You can walk around a bit if you want, if you’ve seen some things you’d want to buy. Just don’t get lost ! Stay together, and we’ll meet here in an hour. Okay ?”

They’re in front of a building with big green flags hanging out of the windows, visible from anywhere in the market. Before Sokka has the time to say anything, Zuko nods.

“Okay. Bye.”

And he takes Sokka’s sleeve and walks back into the market before the water tribe boy has time to protest or do anything.

“Lee, what are you- “

(They decided it was safer to use this name here.)

“Just- I saw something that I want you… to have. It’s around there, I remember…”

Sokka can barely hear him over the hubbub of the people around, but he lets Zuko drag him wherever he wants to go. Agni is high now, and it’s comfortably warm on the top of their head.

They stop sometime later, and Sokka doesn’t look up immediately, too busy making sure he doesn’t walk on anyone’s feet. Zuko’s fingers are still on his sleeve, and he can feel their warmth through the fabric- or maybe he’s imagining it. When he finally looks up, they’re in front of a stand selling… weapons ? His eyes roams on the swords and knives, the arrows on the other side of the table and- boomerangs. Boomerangs ?

Yes, there’s about ten of them in different sizes and colours, hung with strings. His heart aches in a strange way. He hasn’t thought of Boomerang too deeply in a while now. He didn’t even tell his dad he lost it. Sokka looks at Zuko expectantly.

“This- “

“I know you lost yours, so I want to buy you another one. You have the swords now, but you’re really good with your boomerang. So. I know it’s not a replacement- “

_Oh, so he caught up on that._

“Thank you. I can buy it myself, though, I have money.”

He lifts his leather pouch for more effect but Zuko shakes his head resolutely.

“Just choose one. I have money too. I want to do that.”

It feels strangely intimate, even if they’re far from being alone. Sokka sighs and looks at the boomerangs again, finding a pale blue one quickly. It’s a little bigger than his first one, and it’s lined with gold. It reminds him of Zuko’s eyes, and it makes his cheeks heat up. He points at it and Zuko pays, and the merchant squints and furrows his eyebrows but doesn’t say anything. No one knows them here anyway; it doesn’t matter if they find it strange for two boys to walk around holding hands and buying things for each other. Zuko isn’t quite a boy and fingers wrap around wrists more than hands, anyway.

On the walk back, Zuko’s fingers find Sokka’s sleeve again and he guides him through the crowd. Sokka is too busy being happy about his new boomerang to really pay attention, and they get to the rendezvous point before Taqtu. The man doesn’t take long to come though, with a bag full and a smile on his lips.

“Hey guys ! Are we good, we have everything ?”

“Seems like it.”

“Alright. Let’s go get what we left in the room, we’ll leave right after. We can stop in… a couple of hours to eat and we should be back before the moon rises.”

The road is familiar and time goes by faster. They arrive at the village like Taqtu said before the sun has set, and Zuko and Sokka help unpack everything and store it. The music is playing already, and the two friends quickly go through their rooms to set their things down before going to dinner. When they open the door that leads outside however, Hakoda is waiting for them.

“Hi, dad. Everything okay ?”

“Yes, I just wanted to know how it went.”

“It went right ! We just helped Taqtu carry the bags, so…”

Next to him, Zuko nods. Hakoda smiles.

“Zuko, can I talk to my son for a minute ?”

“W- Yes, of course.”

He looks at Sokka and waves- which is kind of useless, they’re going to see each other very soon anyway. Sokka waves back and watches the firebender go and sit next to his uncle. When he turns back to his father, the man is looking at him with something like curiosity on his face.  
  


“What ?”

“Nothing. So, did you buy anything ?”

Okay, so that’s a tricky question. If he says no and his dad sees his new boomerang, he’ll have to explain Zuko bought it for him which doesn’t make sense because he had the money to do it himself. And his dad doesn’t know about everything that’s going on between him and Zuko. If he says yes, it would be lying and… With a sigh, Sokka decides being honest is the best thing to do. If his father has anything to say about it, then… it’s too late anyway.  
  


“No, but Zuko bought me, uh, a boomerang. I lost mine when we fought against Azula and her friends in Ba Sing Se. He’s the one who offered, I wanted to pay for it, but he can be very stubborn so…”

He looks away then back to his dad, who looks… surprised, to say the least.

“Hm. You two are friends, aren’t you.”

How is he supposed to answer that ? They are, but not quite, and they’ve only officially been on the same side for a few days.

“Yes, I think. He changed, so I don’t see any reason to not be. I don’t know exactly why he was so obsessed with chasing Aang -and us- around the world but, I don’t think… I mean, his family isn’t very… they’re dangerous. I don’t how I would have turned out if I had his dad and his sister.”

He kinds of feel like he’s justifying himself. His dad just smiles at him and puts his hand on Sokka’s shoulder.

“We accepted him and his uncle, didn’t we ? You’re allowed to be his friend, Sokka. Did you thank him properly for buying you something you had more than enough money for ?”

He rolls his eyes and smiles, falling into the familiarity of his dad’s teasing. When they walk back to the rest of the tribe, Zuko is talking to Toph and his uncle. Sokka can’t help the way he gets stuck on the image. Watching Zuko interact with his friends is… good. Very good. It makes him happy, Sokka thinks. Hakoda follows his eyes until they land of the firebender, and he ruffles his son’s hair before sitting down next to Bato.

When they’re back in their room after playing board games with an overenthusiastic Aang, night has fallen. Next time to moon rises, Sokka knows he’ll talk to Yue and she’ll answer. They sit at the window, stay silent for a while. They take in the scenery, grass and the forest a little farther away. It fills Sokka with something he can’t name, and he talks before thinking.

« Can I sing for you ? »

It’s too dark to see, but Sokka sounds shy. Shy but certain. Zuko’s “ _yes”_ is whispered in the night, and Sokka moves just a little closer to him. Their shoulders press together, their faces so close they can feel each other’s breathing. Sokka turns his upper body to face Zuko, and they look at each other again, silent, for a few seconds or a few centuries. Zuko’s hair and Sokka’s skin melt into the night, make them blend into each other and the world. They almost feel like one.

Sokka’s voice rise in a melody Zuko’s never heard before, with words he doesn’t speak. He doesn’t need to; there’s so much emotion in the rise and fall of the notes, in Sokka’s eyes, in the way they press against each other. Zuko’s never been the best at understanding others or their emotions, but Sokka is clear as water.

Sokka sings and it fills the air and Zuko, even if the words don’t make sense to him and the melody is unexpected. He understands. They don’t look away from each other’s eyes despite the almost overwhelming feeling squeezing their chests, and Sokka lets their fingers intertwine this time. Because it’s just them at the moment; there’s no one to snicker or ask questions they don’t quite have the answer to.

The song finishes and a soft wind picks up as if on cue. It ruffles their hair and their clothes and makes them laugh softly. Sokka feels warm, but he doesn’t know if it’s emotion or how close they stand to each other. Their shoulders are pressed together and their hands clasped between them.

When they go to bed, Sokka lets Zuko guide him by the hand, and they don’t let go until they’re laying down facing each other. Sokka misses the feeling immediately.

Sokka dreams of the vast open space of the South Pole and the Blue Spirit, the light around them changing as Yue rises. They run and laugh and suddenly, they’re in Ba Sing Se again, and Zuko’s hair is short and they hold fabric boats in their hands. He feels calm and full of affection.

When Sokka comes out of their shared room the next day, Katara is waiting for him. Her arms are crossed and she looks _furious_. He hasn’t seen her like this in a long time and worry claws at his throat immediately.

“Woa- Katara ? Hi, what are you…”

“Are you stupid ?”

Now that’s outrageous. He just woke up, his brain is still full of fog and the first thing she says to him is _this_ ? The worry vanishes, replaced by confusion and anger.

“What ?”

“She’s twelve, Sokka ! Twelve ! What is wrong with you ?”

“What’s wrong with me ? What’s wrong with you ! I have no idea what you’re talking about !”

“I heard you.”

She says it with clenched teeth and he can barely understand her. He does, but he doesn’t understand what she means.

“Heard me ?”

“Last night.”

Well, shit. He can understand why she’s so angry now, but it still hurts. He’s the older brother, he should be able to sing to whoever he wants without being yelled at. Wait, she said something about-

“Who do you think I sang to ?”

“What- Toph obviously ! And she’s just a kid ! This is not a joke, Sokka, you need to take things more serious-“

“What about me ?”

Toph is standing at the end of the hallway, and Aang and Iroh are on the other side. They both look very confused, and Toph has an eyebrow raised. Behind Sokka, Zuko opened the door and looks as stunned as his uncle.

“I didn’t sing to Toph, Katara ! As you said, she’s literally a child (he ignores her ‘Hey !’ of protest) and more a sister than anything else.”

Now it’s his sister’s turn to look confused.

“Then who ?”

Sokka feels his cheeks heat up, and he thanks Tui and La that the people around them don’t know anything about the Southern Water Tribe’s singing traditions. She hasn’t said anything about what type of song it was yet, but it will probably happen at some point.

“I sang to Zuko.”

“Zuko ?”

“Yes, Zuko.”

“ _Zuko_ _?_ ”

“Yes ! Zuko !”

Katara grips her hair like she wants to scream and when she lifts her head back up, she looks so sharply at the firebender that he jumps a little. He takes a step closer to Sokka.

“Do you know what that song is about ? Who it’s _supposed_ to be sang to ?”

“Sokka didn’t- he didn’t tell me, but I think I understand.”

He isn’t blushing like Sokka. He talks with confidence, like there’s no doubt in his mind that he could be wrong.

“And what did you- what are you going to do about it ?”

It’s going to be okay. Sokka knows what’s been growing inside him for more than a month grows in Zuko too, in the way they touch each other and in the way they share intimacy with words and looks. He knows he isn’t alone in this, it’s like a thought set in stone. From the start, what he felt was reflected in Zuko.

“… If I knew the language of your tribe, I would’ve sung it to him too. If we had something like it in the fire nation, I would have done it.”

Katara is too stunned to answer, and Sokka looks at his feet with his heart beating in his hears so he doesn’t hug Zuko. The latter looks way too confident, probably more than he feels. He’s torn between delight and desperation. It’s Toph who breaks the silence, like often.

“Can we know what this is all about ?”

Sokka wants to answer but Katara spits the words like they’re burning her before he can.

“What Sokka sung to Zuko is a traditional song from our tribe. It’s reserved for the people closest to us, like family or, or _lovers_.”

There’s a silence until everyone has taken the words in, and Katara turns to Sokka again. Her question, this time, seems more confused than angry.

“We’ve known his… good side for something like a week, how can you just-“

“Actually they met in Ba Sing Se !”

Sokka doesn’t know if he wants to slap Aang or hug him. How does he even know that ? The youngest boy turns to Zuko and him and bows multiple times quickly, and they feel the air swirl lightly around them.

“I’m sorry ! I heard you talk one night when I was going to the bathroom-“

He turns back to Katara.

“They met in Ba Sing Se when we left and they’ve been friends since then ! I’m sorry, I hate lying so much, I just can’t keep something like this to myself any longer.”

Katara’s eyes are comically wide. If the situation wasn’t so serious, Sokka would have laughed.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this ?”

“Because you’re reacting like this ! I’m not a kid, Katara, I can make decisions for myself without you babying me.”

He sighs and closes his eyes for a second.

“Listen, I’m sorry. I know you still don’t trust him and I hate it, but you’re my sister and this is exactly what I wanted to avoid. Can we just sit down and talk about it ? Just you and me ?”

She turns around and slams the door on her way out so hard the entire house shakes.

“Well, that was something. Come on idiots, I’m hungry.”

Thank Tui and La for Toph. They walk silently to breakfast, and Katara isn’t here when they arrive. On the way, Toph hits Sokka’s sides with her elbow and when he bends down in pain, she murmurs _“You’re also like a brother to me_ ”. It makes him smile and for a few seconds, he forgets the disaster this morning has been.

Katara doesn’t talk to him the whole day. He tries to, but he can never catch her. There’s always someone asking him to verify maps or help fix something. It’s not until the middle of the afternoon that he has time for himself. He looks for his sister in the whole village but can’t find her. Instead, it’s Zuko he sees, sitting on a trunk and polishing his blades.

“Hey.”

Zuko doesn’t stop what he’s doing when he answers.

“Hey.”

“So, I’ve been trying to find Katara for the whole day but I just… couldn’t. Hey, are you doing anything right now ?”

“Well, I’m polishing my blades, obviously. No one gave me anything to do for the village, so it thought I’d take the time to do this.”

“Hmm.”

It takes a couple of seconds for a brilliant idea to pop in Sokka’s mind.

“Zuko ! Can you teach me sword fighting ?”

His movements on the blades stop.

“Now ?”

“If that’s okay with you. I have to learn everything from the start, and the comet is only a few months away. I want to be the best I can be at this moment. I’m not losing anyone because I didn’t practice enough.”

Zuko nods once, and Sokka wonders if he’s thought the same thing before. That being the best is the only way to protect others. Well, the biggest difference is that Sokka isn’t a bender; he doesn’t have anything but himself to blame for his mistakes and his failures. Sometimes, he thinks back to their fight in Ba Sing Se and he wonders how different the outcome would have been if he was more skilled.

They find a big enough space behind the last house of the village. They made a stop to take Iroh’ sword, and it takes Sokka a few minutes to get used to its weight again.

Zuko shows him a few of the movements he learnt the first time, and Sokka does his best to reproduce them. He’s clumsy, and although the place is different, it reminds him of Ba Sing Se and learning sword in Zuko’s kitchen. The difference is they aren’t nervous this time; there’s no battle to hurry for. Not yet.

Sokka remembers how confused he was about his feelings when they just had become friends. He remembers thinking about love and friendship, and it seems ridiculous that putting words on what they were seemed that important. They’re just them. It’s enough, for him.

He thinks of Katara and gets distracted. Zuko’s blade grazes his skin, leaving barely a scratch, and Sokka stumbles back in surprise.

“Sokka, focus.”

“Yeah, sorry. It’s just- I’m thinking of Katara and…”

Zuko nods in understanding and lowers his blade.

“What do you say of just sitting down while I show you some moves ? You got the basics, so I think we can go a little farther. You learn fast.”

The compliment makes him smile, and he sits down on a trunk to watch his friend. He moves gracefully, and Sokka wonders he how could not have known Zuko was the Blue Spirit just by watching the swirl in their steps. He turns on his heels and jumps silently, both of his dual swords moving like they’re a part of him. And they are, Sokka remembers Zuko telling him. He’s beautiful. It’s not a revelation, of course, but it strikes Sokka at this instant.

Zuko is beautiful.

They train for a couple of hours after that, before deciding that’s enough for the day. On the way back to their house, they see Aang, Toph and Iroh. Iroh is going to start teaching Aang firebending (the boy is so nervous Sokka starts feeling fidgety too, so he tries some comforting words with his friend. It seems to work a little.) When asked, Toph says she’s just here to make fun of Aang, but Sokka knows she must just be bored. He’ll ask her if they can hang out, later. They haven’t had time to have a talk in a while. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find all the art I've made for this fic (and others) on Instagram @Justmewriting_ao3 and if you have questions, on tumblr @yeeiguess 
> 
> This story will be four parts + an epilogue : everything but the epilogue have been written, so now I will just be correcting everything ! It means the next part should come out quicker ^^


	3. I’ve always missed you (don’t go now that I’ve got you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakoda and Sokka have A Talk™ that result in some interesting discoveries, Yue comes in. The Big Angsty Plot Point and the Very Fluffy Plot Point both come into action, yes. Lots of gender feels for Zuko :).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this earlier than I planned just because :)

When they arrive in front of the house, Katara and Hakoda are here. Seeing them together, Katara crosses her arms and turns around. Well, that hurts.

“Hi Katara, hi dad.”

“Hi, son. Can we talk ? The three of us.”

Zuko nods and says he’s going to train a little more. There’s a weird distance between Sokka and him, and it feels like they’re back to when they barely started to know each other. It doesn’t sit well with Sokka, makes him uncomfortable. His hands itch.

Sokka sits in front of the table and the rest of his family sits on the couch. They’re higher up than him, and he feels like a kid who’s going to yelled at. Like he’s being judged, too.

“Sokka, can you explain what’s going on between Zuko and you ?”

Straight to the point. Like always, with Hakoda.

“Didn’t Katara tell you ?”

“I want to hear it from you, son.”

So Sokka starts explaining. He tells them about the first time he saw Zuko in Ba Sing Se, their ‘talk’ in the kitchen and how he knew he could trust him after a few days. He tells them about coming back every day to the Jasmine Dragon, _I wanted to make sure he didn’t do anything bad, you know_ _?_ He explains that they became friends between two cups of tea. He talks about seeing Azula and her friends in the castle, panicking and ending up at Zuko’s place. He says _it was lonely, without you all_.

He doesn’t expend on how much exactly being alone in that house was distressing, or how hard he tried not to worry as each day passed without news from them. He doesn’t spend too long on how fast the trust came, either, doesn’t talk about fabric boats under the night sky or things like wanting to hold hands, because it feels to precious to be shared. He thinks his voice probably tells them about it, anyway. It sounds too soft and too affectionate even to him, even when he’s trying to keep it down.

He tells them Zuko is the one who taught him how to fight with a sword, admits that the one he uses is Iroh’s. They stay silent the whole time, letting him talk.

When he finishes, Katara asks :

“Do you love him ?”

There’s genuine curiosity and maybe a bit of incomprehension in her voice.

It’s a hard question to give an answer to. Of course he loves Zuko. What it means to love him, though, is nothing certain. He loves his dad and Katara, Toph, Aang, Suki, Yue- and he loves them all differently. So, he loves Zuko. Katara probably means _Love_ in the way that their parents loved each other, though. What he feels isn’t that exact type of love; it’s more, or just something else. It’s trust like they’ve always known each other, wordless communication, touches and looks that mean more than words can describe. It’s the simple things and the complex emotions they share, without needing words.

He doesn’t know how to explain it properly, so he stays silent. For too long, maybe. Katara sighs and closes her eyes.

“Okay. You’re… old enough to make your own choices, I guess. It doesn’t mean I support whatever is going on between you two, but I won’t make remarks or be mean to Zuko. I’ll try.”

“Thanks a lot, Katara. He- he’s a good person. He’s trying.”

He smiles a genuine smile, and she offers him one in return.

“Okay, I think it’s my turn to teach Aang.”

She leaves the house with a wave of her hand, and Sokka is left in front of his silent father. His arms are crossed, his eyebrows furrowed. Sokka can’t tell if he’s angry or not until he talks.

“Can you tell me more ? I want to see something. Have you always felt like that ? He chased you around the world for a long time, right ?”

“Uh… I’ve always thought that he had… the potential to be good, I guess. I didn’t like him before, but I could never really hate him. Which made me feel bad because, you know, he _was_ trying to capture Aang and he hurt a lot of people- but he’s been hurt a lot too, and I think I knew that from the start. I mean, you don’t get a scar like this in a training accident; even less when you’re the _literal_ prince of your nation. We didn’t really have time to talk about it around a cup of tea though, you see. It’s not until Ba Sing Se, when he _did_ change and I found him, that…”

Hakoda lets Sokka gather his thoughts.

“I was a bit lonely. And when I saw him that day, serving tea and smiling to people and walking around the tables like he was dancing… I was suspicious of course, I confronted him and everything but… I trusted him very fast. I can’t really tell you why, and it was kind of scary at first but I decided to just trust my instincts. I came to the Jasmine Dragon every day, and we became friends, and then we went on a date-“

“A date ?”

Here comes the protective father. It makes Sokka smile through the embarrassment.

“Kind of. There’s this sort of party in the Earth Kingdom where people make little boats out of fabric. They let them down the river; it’s something about… giving back what we took ? I think ? Anyway. We went together and it was our first like this, spending that much time together without customers to serve or having to go home. It was… really cool.

Then I saw Azula, I came to him, he helped me- and then I discovered that he’s actually the Blue Spirit, who I’ve kinda liked since the first time Aang told us about them. He’s just _so cool_ , dad.

Also, we met in a forest- I have to ask him what he was doing here, now that I think of it… Anyway, it was night, and he was practicing with his dual swords. I could barely see but dad, he’s so elegant when he does that. He showed me different moves today, and I just- he’s gracious. It looks more like a dance than a fight. I wonder if every firebender moves like this. Maybe I’m just biased.”

“Hm. Do you think he feels like you do ?”

“Yeah.”

He’s surprised by the certainty of his own words.

“I can just… tell. I see it in the way he looks at me, or how he relaxes when it’s just the two of us and maybe his uncle. He trusts me, too. Since we became friends. I can’t tell how I know that, I just do.”

He’s almost discovering those things as he says them. His father stays silent for a long, long time. Embarrassment is replaced by curiosity, before Sokka’s thoughts derives to Zuko once again.

“You know your mother was very spiritual, right ?”

“Yeah. Gran-gran taught her everything.”

“She never let me in their lessons, but she had a real connection to her own soul and other’s. She could feel if someone was going to be good, if an animal had babies to care for, and which souls would connect best.”

“Really ? That much ?”

His memories of his mom had started to become hazy, but he had seen that connection his dad was talking about. She was always good at telling who would get married first, and it had become a game between the two of them, but he never thought…

“Why are you telling me that ?”

“I think you are more like her than you think. You’ve always had good instincts, and you’ve always trusted the right people.”

Sokka doesn’t quite know where this is going, but he’s both delighted to be closer to his mom than he thought and scared of what it means. What Katara, Aang, Toph, Zuko and every other bender do is _magic_ ; his instincts aren’t.

“I think your soul is linked to Zuko’s. I don’t understand everything, and I don’t pretend I do but I think it would be good to look into that, if you want to.”

“You mean…”

He looks for his words, stutter through them, takes a deep breathes and starts again.

“Are you saying we’re some kind of soulmates ?”

His father nods, and there’s something soft in his eyes. He isn’t angry, isn’t judging Sokka or Zuko for anything.

“Dad, that’s… How…”

“Does it make sense ? To you ?”

Sokka thinks back to what he told his dad. He thinks of Zuko and their conversations at night, the way he feels about him now and the way he felt about him when they first met. He thinks of the big empty planes of ice back home, and how it made him feel small and unimportant. He thinks about how he’s forgetting he ever felt like he was missing something.

“Yeah. It does.”

Sokka lets his dad hug him tight, and they come out of the house together, Hakoda’s arm still around Sokka’s shoulders.

When he comes home, Aang and Toph jump on him to ask for explanations. Even Iroh, though sitting silently in a corner, seems to lean in when he starts talking. On the door frame, Zuko nods at him when he silently asks for permission to tell them. He explains it all again, more quickly than with his family. Toph smiles knowingly, and Aang just seems happy for them. Iroh, of course, knew most of the story already.

Time goes by fast, and before he knows it, he’s back in their room, sitting on their bed and waiting for Zuko to finish changing behind him. He hasn’t told him anything yet. He said that his dad and Katara accept it- or don’t mind too much, at least. At that, Zuko visibly relaxed, his shoulders falling and a deep sigh leaving his chest. He had smiled at Sokka after that, and Sokka’s heart had beaten fast in his ears.

Sokka wonders if it’s important to Zuko, having Hakoda’s approval.

The moon is full. It bathes the room in a dark white light, softening angles and blurring forms together.

The thought of being soulmates has been running in Sokka’s head for hours now, a nervousness never leaving him. Yue can feel it, from her place in the sky.

The moon keeps rising, and Yue’s presence becomes stronger. Sokka feels her caressing his mind, and he lets himself forget everything but the lingering pain of losing her so soon after meeting her. She isn’t really lost, he knows. But he won’t be able to follow her through the Northern Water Tribe’s streets anymore, or offer her badly made wooden sculptures. He even wishes he could attend her wedding: she would be here, at least, more than a memory and feelings on some nights.

He can feel her worry in his heart, her feelings less strong than his own but clearly present. Zuko sits next to him, respecting the silence that has taken place in the room.

“Are you talking with her ? _Can_ you talk with her ?”

He takes a minute to answer.

“I can feel her in my mind and my heart- my soul, too, I think. I feel what she feels. It’s only around the full moon, though.”

“Is it only you ? Can she… shows her feeling to other people ?”

“… I don’t know. We didn’t have time to talk about it; it’s been a while, now, since she… went up there. Her presence faded away a little bit.”

It’s kind of sad but Sokka wonders if it means she’s melting with the world, becoming one with the night. They stay silent for a longer time, until Sokka feels Zuko shifts beside him.

“Oh.”

“What is it ?”

“I think… she’s talking to me ? I’m angry for some reason, but I’m not sure that anger belongs to me. And I know a lot about being angry.”

“Angry ? Yue !”

Sokka’s eyes leave Zuko, and she brings her attention back to him. She lets her worry grow stronger, and he tries to sooth it out. It takes a while but it works, and Zuko slowly relaxes. He looks confused, to say the least.

“… it’s gone ?”

“I think I calmed her down. Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. She felt… protective.”

Sokka laughs at that.

“Yeah, she is.”

“Do you love her ?”

There’s nothing bad in the way he says it, no anger, no anticipation. It’s a question like any other, simple curiosity. He thinks about his answer, feels words pressing on the back of his throat to get out.

“I do. Not like I used to. Not like… not like I love you.”

Sokka keeps his eyes up, away from Zuko. He’s so focused on looking away that he almost doesn’t hear his answer.

“Me too.”

There’s nothing else after that, but it’s not important. Sokka doesn’t know if saying _I love you_ is common in the fire nation- it surely isn’t in Zuko’s family, at least. He hasn’t said it outright, maybe, but the feeling is here all the same. So Sokka stores the memory preciously in his heart, makes sure he won’t forget this night.

“Can I put my head on your shoulder ?”

Zuko hums in agreement, and Sokka lets his body fall slowly toward his soulm- friend- whatever. Zuko. Sokka’s hair is getting long again, and it’s starting to tickle the top of his back. Zuko’s hair, too, has grown a lot. It curls slightly on the back of his neck, falls just above his eyebrow.

“Are you growing your hair out ?”

He knows the question surprised Zuko because it takes a little time for the answer to come out. Yue is still here, a comforting presence in the back of his mind. He wonders if Zuko still feels her, too.

“I think so. Not too long because... I don’t want to... to look like- I just. Don’t want to.”

_I get it_ , Sokka says with his eyes. _I get you_. He’s seen portraits, knows the shiver in Zuko’s voice when he has to say _that_ name. He knows that long hair is common in the fire nation. Knows it is even more so in the royal family.

The breeze that comes through the window is good against Sokka’s skin. The weather has been merciful lately.

“Can we talk about it ?”

“... About me growing my hair out ?”

Okay. Maybe he should have been more precise.

“Yeah. That, and the dresses, and- I know how you look at Katara and the other women. I saw it in Ba Sing Se, how you mimic what they do sometimes.”

Zuko stays silent, eyes focused in front of him. He’s scared. He’s tense and unsure, like he was caught red handed doing something he shouldn’t have. It makes Sokka feels bad for asking, but...

“I just want to understand a bit more. I don’t care that you do all of that, Zuko. Well, I do- I just want to understand it better. Whatever happens, you’re my...”

He doesn’t know how to say it. _Friend_ is too obvious and not enough. _Lover_ is undecided, still nothing more than a word Sokka’s never thought about, not quite the right one. _Best friend_ is almost there but not quite, wrong in all the little attentions and all the beats his heart misses. Soulmate is... so big. So unexpected, so _much_ \- so right. Too right.

“I take you as you are. But I want to know- does it make you uncomfortable, being called a boy ?”

Zuko sighs, closes his eyes tight and drops his head to his knees. He’s not looking at Sokka when he answers.

“Sometimes. It’s not normal, is it ?”

“I don’t know. What’s normal, anyway ? I wore a dress, once. I kind of liked it. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Some more silence. It’s heavy with late night confessions and secrets out in the open, the melody of the wind in the trees’ leaves and the various animals singing like they always do.

“Yeah. What’s normal, anyway ?”

“Do _he_ and _him_ bother you ? Do you... want to try something else or, I don’t know. I used _they_ , in my head, for the Blue Spirit. When I didn’t know it was you. It seemed… I don’t know. Seemed right.”

Zuko thinks, for a long time. Sokka lets him, enjoying the breeze in his hair and the warmth next to him. They’re rarely this close. Even when they sleep, there’s more space between them. Sokka is almost overwhelmed by how lucky he feels that Zuko allows all of this. The contact, usually so difficult for the firebender, the unspoken things between them and the trust. Yue shushes him, lets calming hands caress his mind. He almost forgot her for a second, and he feels a pit of guilt built in his stomach.

“It... bothers me just a bit. Not all the time. Not always as much. But I don’t think anything else would be better.”

He’s exhausted from talking, that’s evident. Zuko’s never been one for emotional conversations, that dig deep into the past and the hurt and the uncertainty. Sokka loves it- loves opening up, loves learning about others and letting others learn about him. He likes knowing he can be strong and vulnerable, and that being either of those things doesn’t mean he can’t be the other, too. He understands Zuko, though. It’s late, the moon high and the village having been silent for hours. The consequences of the training from the day are starting to show, Sokka’s muscles aching a little more with each breath. It’s not the satisfying feeling of having worked hard, just the discomfort of pushing your limits too long.

“Okay. Just tell me if you want to try something out. Hey, did Toph make you taste Aang’s new vegan sandwich? It’s _awful_.”

And just like that, they’re somewhere else, and Zuko relaxes a bit. When they move to the bed, his fingers brush against Sokka’s, in a quiet _thank you_ that rings clear in the Water Tribe Boy’s ears. He remembers to say goodbye to Yue, lets her humming wash over him until he falls asleep. They lay down facing each other like they did every other night.

The day after starts with heavy rain and strong wind. They wake up to the rumbles of the sky, confused about how dark the room still is. When they get to the living room, almost everyone else is already here. Aang comes in couple of minutes later, rubbing his eyes forcefully.

“Hi everyone…”

“Hi, Aang. So, someone stopped by some time ago to tell me that we’d have to stay inside until the weather clears. They dropped some food, so I’ll cook something for us.”

“Can I assist you, young lady ?”

Katara smiles at Iroh.

“Yes, please. Everyone else is _terrible_ at it.”

“So there’s no training today ?”

“Nope.”

Aang jumps in the air with an excited yelp, knocking everyone a few feet back with his bending and making his friends grumble.

The rain doesn’t stop pouring, and sweet aromas start filling the house as Katara and Iroh cook. It mixes with the wet earth, and Sokka can’t help but appreciate how good it smells. There’s no one outside. Sokka and Zuko are in their room, door closed and towels on the window to keep the water from coming inside. They’re sitting on their bed, Sokka drawing and Zuko silently looking at the ceiling. A sudden knock at the door makes them both jump a little, and Aang’s voice resonates through the wood.

“Hey, guys ! Someone came by and said Hakoda wants to see us this afternoon.”

Sokka lets his drawing down to open the door. He tried to draw Yue, wobbly lines and barely recognisable shapes he isn’t embarrassed about. He’s an artist, the others just don’t understand.

“Really ? for what ?”

“I think it’s to talk about the plan and everything.”

“Aw man, I really don’t want to go out in this weather !”

“I mean, there’s two waterbenders, so we can probably get there dry.”

Tui and La. This weird magic is _so_ useful. Zuko and Sokka thanks Aang, and the little boy asks if they want to play board games, since Katara and Iroh are busy and Toph always refuses to play.

“Sure, let’s go ! I like games. They’re probably super different from those we play back home, too !”

They start a conversation about their respective nations’ way of playing. Sokka is delighted at how easily Aang include Zuko in the conversation, like their shared past isn’t important anymore. Well, the Avatar has always been like this.

They eat together, Katara making them promise they’ll cook next time it’s necessary. There’s no music but there’s the banging of rain on their roof and the murmurs of their voice over the table, and Sokka thinks that it works all the same. Once they’re finished, they hurry to put their things away (doing the dishes is also exceptionally fast with two waterbenders _and_ an airbender) and head out. They keep close because even if they’re dry, the air is cold on their skin.

Sokka shivers and it reminds him of the Southern Water Tribe, making him smile. He laughs at how uncomfortable Zuko looks under the weather and they arrive at their destination. The door is open fast after they knock, clear sign that they were awaited.

The table in this house is big enough for all of them and some more, if they sit really close. Next to Hakoda, Bato is sitting. He has a few parchments in front of him, still rolled- not like they don’t know what they are. Sokka is between Zuko and Aang, uncomfortable. He tucks his hands between his legs to take up less place, his friends doing their best too. He finds Hakoda’s eyes above the table and he blushes, remembering their last conversation; his dad lifts an eyebrow at his reaction. He quickly looks away though, reporting his attention on the other people at the table.

“Thank you for coming. Since the village is pretty calm today because of the weather, I thought it would be good to do a meeting. How is your training going, Aang ?”

“It’s going well, I think ?”

He looks at Iroh, who nods. Sokka only saw Aang training with him once, and the old man kept sighing at how easily distracted the avatar was.

“I was kind of scared at first but Iroh showed me that not all fire is bad. Zuko, your uncle is amazing.”

“Of course he is.”

He answers immediately, his voice nothing but confidence. Hakoda smiles at that and keeps going.

“Great. We still have a few months before us, but I already sent the letters. A few of the people you mentioned to me responded already- they all agreed to come to help.”

After that, they revise the plan a few times. While their allies are distracting the guards, the gAang is going to infiltrate the bunker and find Ozai. Zuko and Iroh helped them make a map of the place, explaining the numerous hallways and the rooms all around it. They revise it again, making sure everyone knows it perfectly. Zuko talks about is sister and her friends, too, explain their specialities. Sokka finally understands what happened during their fight against them; he still feels guilty about it. Aang pats his back and tells him that they’ll be more careful next time, that they got out of it in one piece in the end and that’s what matter. It doesn’t really make him feel less useless, but he appreciates the gesture nonetheless. Aang really is a good guy.

Sokka feels like they’re overprepared but then again, the reality of things hasn’t quite hit him yet. They’re so far away from it still, and he can’t help but appreciate the time they have left. After all, starting to stress out now is useless.

They leave an hour or two after, the conversations having since long stopped being about bunkers and plans.

Back at their house, everyone goes to their respective room. Spending time together is cool, but after so many months travelling together they all appreciate the privacy of their designed spaces. Sokka and Zuko sit on the bed once again, and a thought comes to the water nation boy before he has time to start drawing again.

“Hey, I have a question.”

“Yeah ?”

“Do you remember the night we met in that forest, while you were in your Blue Spirit outfit ?”

Zuko looks at him for a few seconds, silent and surprised. He furrows his eyebrows and looks in front of him, away from Sokka.

“Yeah, I do.”

“What were you doing here ?”

“Training. You interrupted me in the middle of it, don’t you remember ?”

Sokka laughs a little, remembering the scene.

“Yeah, I did. But why where you there ? I was with the others, we were still travelling to Ba Sing Se.”

“… We were just around. Travelling, like you. I didn’t think there would be anyone else there, to be honest.”

“Did you recognise me ?”

Zuko stays silent for a while, and Sokka wonders why.

“I did.”

“And… you didn’t… talk to me ?”

“I wasn’t good, back then. The best I could have done do would have been to attack you.”

That’s surprising. Sokka thought the Blue Spirit was the start of Zuko’s goodness.

“What do you mean, you weren’t good ? You got Aang out of prison.”

“Yeah, to kidnap him. That didn’t really work.”

“Wait, you got him out just to kidnap him again ?”

Zuko nods, and Sokka laughs at the absurdity of the situation. It makes Zuko blush from embarrassment and he pushes Sokka lightly.

“Stop laughing !”

“Sorry, sorry ! Why didn’t it work ? Did you and Aang fight ? He never told us anything other than “The Blue Spirit got me out of Zhao’s prison” and that was enough, at the time.”

“I was touched by a guard. An arrow- it only touched my mask, but it was enough to knock me out.”

That ends Sokka’s laughter quickly. He can almost see it, Zuko on the floor of the forest, Aang hovering even if it’s dangerous, because he’s just kind like that. There’s something in his throat, sadness and regret, and the bitter feeling that they’re too young for all the pain they lived through. He should be used to it by now. He should have stopped thinking it wasn’t fair a long time ago, he thinks.

“Are you okay now ? And did Aang know that you were the Blue Spirit ?”

“Yeah, it’s been a long time. I’m all healed from that. And yes, he… took my mask off. He said we could be friends, but at the time I was still too blinded by my anger to listen to him. I attacked, and he left. I felt terrible.”

Sokka extends his hand toward Zuko, lets him decide what to do with it. He wants to comfort him, and he’s always been better with touch than words. The firebender scoots closer and Sokka’s hand find its place going up and down Zuko’s back. They stay like that a few minutes, both thinking about their conversation. Most of Sokka’s questions have been answered, and he finds himself remembering the way the other looked in the heart of the night.

“Hey, can I ask one more thing ?”

“Yeah, go on.”

“Why didn’t you attack me ? If you knew who I was ?”

There’s more silence. (It’s never quite entirely silent, though. There’s the rain pouring outsides, voices from the other rooms, the cracks and the winces of the house around them. It makes the lack of talking less awkward.)

“I didn’t know you were with Aang. I was surprised, too, and attacking you out of the blue when I was the Blue Spirit would have blown up my cover. You weren’t trying to attack me, either, so that would have just been weird. You were just… kind and curious.”

“So, you wouldn’t attack me because you thought I was _kind and curious_ ? Aw, did you like me ?”

It’s meant to be a joke but Zuko blushes and crosses his arms like Sokka hit a point. On his back, the water tribe boy’s hand stops its course. He can feel a few strands of hair against his knuckles, soft and tickling.

“No ! There just wasn’t any reason to.”

“Well, I always liked the Blue Spirit. And I always thought you could be good, too. From the start, I knew it was possible.”

They look into each other’s eyes, and Sokka’s hand falls on Zuko’s elbow. He thinks of bringing it farther, of holding his hand again. He thinks about how they’re maybe, probably soulmates, and how that explains a lot, too. He thinks that Zuko doesn’t know, and he feels worry at his reaction grow in his stomach. He doubts it’ll go very well. Zuko isn’t one for relationships or trust; Sokka isn’t even sure he entirely trusts the other members of the gAang yet.

They song of the rain lulls them and Sokka finds his eyelids heavy. He falls back onto the bed, closes his eyes. He listens to Zuko talk, hums occasionally in response. He tries to stay awake, tries to focus on his friend’s words, but it’s useless. His nightmares are further apart now, only waking him up every other night. It’s better, now that he has a safe and unchanging place to sleep. When he wakes up, he can listen to Zuko’s breathing, open his door and hear the others sleep. He knows Zuko has nightmares too; it would be strange not to, considering everything that happened to him. They don’t really talk about it. When they’re both awake in the middle of the night and one of them is shaking, they stay close until they fall back asleep.

He wakes up a couple of hours later, rested and content. Zuko isn’t in the room. The rain is just a memory now, the smell of wet earth and the _plick, plick_ of the roof still dripping. He can hear his friends talking in the living room. He recognises Toph’s sarcastic tones, Iroh’s deep voice, Katara’s laugh. He’s too far away to decipher what they’re saying, but it doesn’t matter. He knows his dad is a few houses away, and his family is _so close_. He thinks of his mom and hopes she’s happy for him. He’s so lucky to have found them. At this instant, under the sheet- did Zuko cover him ?- and with the last bits of sleep leaving him, Sokka feels like this is exactly where he’s supposed to be. Where he belongs.

He’s going to tell Zuko. Today, right now, he’s going to tell him _I think we’re soulmates_. He feels optimistic. They said _I love you_ to each other just the day before, after all. What could go wrong ?

He comes into the living room, punches Toph slightly when she laughs at him for “napping like an old man”. He leans toward Zuko, speaks low enough so the others can’t hear. He says _“_ I have something important to tell you. Can we go back to the room ?”. Zuko tenses and looks at him with his eyebrow furrowed. He follows him silently nonetheless, and Sokka bows playfully to his friends before leaving.

Once the door closes behind them, Sokka can feel his nerves flare up again. He takes a deep breath and says-

“My dad think we’re soulmates, and I think I agree with him.”

“… What ?”

Zuko’s looking at him with huge eyes.

“I think we’re soulmates. We are _something_ , at least- I know you feel it too, Zuko.”

“How can you say something like that ?”

There’s anger in his answer and his eyes, and Sokka almost takes a step back.

“Well, I- Dad…”

“That’s not possible, Sokka, we can’t be- can’t be- that !”

“Why ?”

They’re talking too loudly, now. It shifted into almost shouts, and Sokka doesn’t understand the anger in Zuko. There’s something twisting into his stomach, the feeling that _he shouldn’t_ _have said it_ battling with _it’s too right to be kept secret_.

“I can’t deserve this ! I don’t deserve you !”

_Is that all it is ?_

“Of course you do ! Can’t you feel it’s right ?”

_Isn’t it obvious ?_

“It doesn’t matter ! I’m not- lovable, Sokka. Not long term. This won’t last. It’s already…”

It hurts so bad to hear that. It’s like ice and fire both in his veins, behind his eyes, a punch to his chest taking all of his breath and breaking his heart on the way out.

“What do you mean ? Of course you are _lovable_ , Zuko-“

_You’re so lovable. You were from the start, and you’ll always be._

“I’ve done too much wrong. I’ve hurt too many people. You’ll leave like mom and Azula and everyone did. I’ve done too much wrong for anyone to stay.”

This hurts, too, in another way. It makes Sokka want to cry, to hug the kid in front of him. It makes him angry at the world and those people who left; because Zuko didn’t deserve that, never has.

“Why would I leave you ? You’re good, now. You’ve always had it in you, Zuko, I’ve known it from the start. And we’re working toward it, aren’t we ? We’re planning to end this war. And it’ll work. And I may not know everything, but I know if you had a better environment to grow in you wouldn’t have been so angry for so long, and if people had been good to you-“

“Maybe, but that didn’t happen. I’m sorry for being fucked up, Sokka.”

He spits his name more than he says it, anger and pain starting to take form in the shadow of fumes. There are flames licking his knuckles, tight at his side, and Sokka is brought back to the past. He shivers with the memories of scorching heat on his skin, fists and feet burning and people in red armour reading to _kill_. It’s the _worst_ moment for this to come back to him. It makes him take a step back, and he sees Zuko’s face darken. 

“Tui and La, you know that’s not what I said ! I don’t care about this, Zuko, I just want to be with you, whoever that is. And you are _not_ fucked up.”

“I can’t do this.”

Their shoulders collide on Zuko’s way out, and it hurts more than it should. Sokka is left alone, in a room that suddenly seems too big. There are regrets swirling in his head, pain and anger and sorrow in his heart and his eyes.

He lets a tear or two fall, keeps the rest of the sobs in. He’s very good at that. He stays here, halfway turned to the door, for what seems like centuries. Maybe it’s a couple of minutes, a couple of hours. Everything slows down, and there’s Zuko’s words in his head, again and again, _I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this-_

He barely sees Toph when she comes in. Everything feels blurry and wrong, the tsunami of emotions having been replaced by numbness a while ago. Toph hits him with her fist and he turns to her. She looks worried, something unusual on the little girl’s face. She takes his wrist and walks to the bed, tugging on his sleeve until he falls on it. She sits next to him, silent. He’s slowly coming back to the world.

The bed under him slowly becomes solid again, and the sheets at his fingertips make a little more sense. The door is open and he can see the hallway. The floor made of some sort of dark wood. It cracks with every shift, the humidity of the air making it fragile.

Toph lets his wrist go, and she stays here for a second or two, kind of uncomfortable, kind of awkward.

“So… wanna talk about it ?”

Sokka stays silent for a while. Does he ? What is there to say ? He doesn’t quite understand everything that happened himself.

“I heard Zuko storming out of here, and then his uncle followed him. Considering the way you both look, I’m going to take a wild guess and say you had a lover’s quarrel.”

He doesn’t have the energy to laugh. If he did, it would be dry and painful. But as it is, he closes his eyes and lets the pain settles back in again.

“Yeah. Something like that.”

Toph must understand that she messed up, because she grimaces at his answer.

“I told him…”

He’s between a whisper and a sob, and Toph sits just a bit closer to him.

“I told him that we’re… probably soulmates. He didn’t take it well. Said things like- like how he’s not lovable and how he doesn’t deserve it and he can’t do it- “

He takes a deep breath, and Toph pats his knee awkwardly.

“Well, I don’t know much about that but to be honest, I’m not that surprised about his reaction. Not that- he’ll change his mind. Even while being blind I can see how grossly in love you two are. But, uh, he doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’s used to receiving… _love_ like that.”

She tries, and it doesn’t take the pain away but it helps anyway. Sokka nods tirelessly.

“Did everyone hear ?”

“Nah, they all left right after you two. Katara was out with Appa and Aang said something about growing vegetables or, I don’t know what. There was just Iroh and me and we couldn’t really hear anything.”

“Okay. That’s… yeah.”

He can’t say if that’s good or not. There’s a flash behind his eyelids, of the look on Zuko’s face and the heat around him when he said _I can’t do this_. Sokka hadn’t seen him angry in a long time. He looked like he did all those months ago, when his only goal was to get to Aang no matter the consequences. Even now, Sokka can’t hate him for that; Zuko gave him pieces of a puzzle he almost finished, things here and there that explain why he did that, why he did it like that, why he _was_ like that. Murmurs of his father, fingers against his scar, talks about honour and tales of desperate searches all around the world.

“ _I just wanted to go home_ ”, he had said to Sokka one night. And Sokka didn’t understand, because he knew what awaited Zuko at the Fire Nation was nothing like home. Home, to him, is his father’s hugs and eating seals with everyone in the South Pole. It’s Toph and Aang and Zuko, Appa and Momo. Home means a hot meal and people to laugh with. It’s things and feelings and friends; it’s not just a place.

He kind of wishes Zuko would think of him as home, too.

It’s obviously not the case.

They stay here, on the bed, for a couple of hours. They’re mostly silent at first, then Toph starts talking about funny things she’s ‘seen’ happening around, and Sokka starts telling stories of his own. By the end of it, he feels better. Toph, too, has relaxed next to him.

They come out of the room. The sun is setting, and Katara and Aang are cooking together. It’s bitter-sweet, to see them laugh and blush like the lovebirds they are when he just had a fight with his soulmate- or whatever they are. They’re probably soulmates, too, except they’re actually in love with each other. Iroh and Zuko are nowhere to be seen, and Sokka lets a sigh of relief at that. No one asks any questions, but they eat together at the wooden table despite the music and the rest of the men outside. They talk about everything and nothing, and it feels like they’re back to the old days of travelling together. It feels familiar and strange at the same time.

Katara stops him just before he goes back to his room, and he has to convince her that’s it’s ok and that he doesn’t want her to get involved. She’s visibly angry, and visibly ready to fight Zuko. At least she’s supportive.

When he goes to bed that night, Sokka can’t sleep. Zuko’s still not here, and the sheets are cold without him. He plays their arguments in his head again and again, tries to find what he could have said differently, what he should have done to make the end better. It’s useless, he knows; there’s no changing the past. He’s known that for a long time. And yet…

It’s hours later, once the moon is starting its descent again, that the door opens and the bed dips behind him. He closes his eyes hard, stops breathing, waits for… something. An apology, an explanation, another argument; anything.

But Zuko stays silent, so Sokka doesn’t say anything. Sleep comes even later, and when he wakes up the sheets are cold again. He cries a little, silently, lets the fabric under him take his sadness like it was never here to begin with.

Breakfast is taken with everyone, outside. Zuko sits with his uncle far from the rest of the gAang, and Hakoda throws curious glances at Sokka. The Water Tribe boy does his best not to look at his friend (are they still friends ? What are they, now ?). He gives in once or twice. Zuko seems tense and angry and uncomfortable and Sokka hates it with all he has. He can’t do anything about it, so he fills his bowl again and watches as Iroh murmurs hopefully comforting things to his nephew.

When their plates have been washed and the instruments have been put back in their houses, Sokka is taken away by Bato to help him with the crushed bushes along the road. They’re torn and in the passage, and it could be dangerous.

Life doesn’t stop for the people that are sad; there’s things to do, still, stuff to repair and things to tear down. Sokka is glad for how busy it keeps him. He runs here and there the whole day, only stopping to eat. He doesn’t have time to dwell on his sadness or to watch Zuko like he desperately wants to, as if he can find the answers he seeks in the ways the firebender acts.

Two days pass, and it’s always the same thing. He wakes up in cold sheets, eats breakfast, works and works and works, misses Zuko, swings his sword around, regrets ever talking about it all, eats again, works, works, keeps the tears in, eats and laughs with everyone, goes to bed and waits for Zuko to come home.

On the third morning after their fight, Sokka wakes up before the sun. Zuko’s still here, and he doesn’t know if he should wait or get up. He hears sounds in the kitchen and decides to get up. He walks carefully, opens the door slowly so it doesn’t wake Zuko up; when he turns around to look at him, though, he thinks he sees him closing his eyes quickly. He wants to stay, to caress Zuko’s hair and admire how peaceful he looks when he asleep; he’s not allowed to do that, though, not anymore. So, he closes the door behind him and closes his eyes until his heart slows down.

When he comes into the kitchen, he finds Iroh sipping his tea. They haven’t talked since the fight, and Sokka hesitates in the doorway. The old man looks at him.

“Hello, Sokka. You’re up early.”

“Uh, yeah. Couldn’t really sleep.”

He shrugs like it’s normal- and it is, kind of. He hasn’t had a good night sleep in years. Those days are worse, though.

Iroh sighs, or maybe he just blows on the hot liquid in his hands.

“I am sorry for the way my nephew acted. He told me what happened.”

“It’s… not okay, I guess, but…”

Sokka doesn’t know, doesn’t want to talk about it. He wants to say he understands, but he doesn’t really.

“My nephew has been abandoned by a lot of people, Sokka. It’s not my story to tell, but I think you know already. Even if you’ve helped him change for the best, sometimes storms make more damages than can be repaired.”

“Yeah. I know. I just… wish he could see himself how I see him. I’m willing to forget about the whole soulmate thing, willing to never talk about it again if that’s what he wants. But I don’t know what he wants, and he’s not talking to me.”

“You have to give him time. He will make a decision, in the end. We can only hope it’ll be the right one. I ask of you not to give up. My nephew has been through a lot, and he deserves someone like you.”

“That’s not what he thinks. I’ll do my best, Iroh, but… I have my limits too, I guess. If he doesn’t want… anything to do with me, I won’t force him. But I’ll do my best to be here for him as long as I can.”

Iroh nods and offers him a cup of tea. They drink in silence until Toph comes in, and Sokka listens to them talk. They get along well, that’s good.

At breakfast, between two bites of bread, Sokka lifts his head and throws a look at Zuko. The other is already looking at him, and they stay like this for a second or two, unmoving, blue eyes against gold. Then Zuko nods, and Sokka takes a breath he didn’t know he needed. He nods back, unsure, and Zuko looks away. It’s not much, but it’s a lot compared to what happened before.

Sokka is looking around for something to do after finishing his breakfast when fingers close around his wrist. He jumps a little in surprise and turns around to see Zuko. His breath catches again and the other doesn’t say anything before he starts taking him away. Sokka doesn’t look back at his friends; he watches the way his soulmate’s hair move as they walk, focus on the warmth against his skin.

They turn at the corner of a house and stop. Sokka can barely hear the village behind them. His head feel fuzzy, his heart loud in his ears. Zuko’s fingers are still clinging to his wrist, and he’s looking down and taking deep breaths. When he looks up, Sokka is taken aback by the intensity in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

For a second, Sokka doesn’t know how to answer. He blinks once or twice, opens and close his mouth and starts talking.

“Me too. Listen, we don’t have to… put any word on what we are, if you don’t want to. We can just be us and do our things how we want to do them.”

“No, I…”

He lets Sokka’s hand go to cross his arms and pinches his nose with a grunt.

“It’s me. I’m just not used to the whole concept of… being liked and I just got… scared… I guess. Uncle told me something about water flowing and following the river of time, but I didn’t it understand at all.”

“Can I hug you ?”

“What ?”

Shit. Is it too early ?

“Can I… hug you ? You don’t have to say yes, of course, I just-“

“Yeah.”

He lets his arms fall at his sides and Sokka feels his heart beats faster, and not from anxiety this time. He takes Zuko in his arm, careful and soft. He notices, once again, how the other is just a bit taller than him. He lets his head fall in the crook of Zuko’s neck, feels hesitant arms wrap around him after a few seconds. Zuko smells like campfire and something else that’s just _him_ , and Sokka didn’t even noticed he missed that.

They hug for five minutes or more, until Sokka’s arms start to ache.

When he lets his arms fall back, he allows his hand to drag along the green fabric of Zuko’s sleeve, and the firedbender lets his fingers sit on Sokka’s waist.

Sokka lets the moment last, takes in a few more seconds of just them in the world while he can.

“I just need to know one thing. Do we talk about the soulmate thing or not ?”

“Not now. Please. Later when I’m more… used to the idea of…”

_Being loved ?_

“Okay. Alright.”

“We should probably go back there. I think there’s things to do…”

“Yeah, you- you’re right. We should.”

But they stay where they are, touching and looking into each other’s eyes in silence. It’s not until there’s the faint scream of Sokka’s name somewhere else that they leave each other reluctantly. Hands are drawn back slowly, and eyes are looking away just as fast. Zuko takes a deep breath and eases it into a sigh.

When they walk back, they walk close. Their sleeves are brushing against each other, and it reminds Sokka of that night in Ba Sing Se, when he so desperately wished to hold Zuko’s hand.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Can I hold your hand ?”

It’s strange, the way his heart still beats a bit fast, how he’s nervous to ask. For an answer, Sokka feels Zuko’s warms fingers against his palm.

There. Everything’s going to be okay.

When they get back to the busier part of the village, they find Hakoda and Bato talking. Bato sees them first and waves at them, making Sokka’s dad turn around.

When they arrive in front of the two men, Zuko grips Sokka’s hand a little tighter, and it makes him smile.

“Hello you two. Everything okay ?”

“Yes, actually. We’re okay.”

Hakoda ruffles Sokka’s hair with a laugh, and even Bato seems happy for them.

“Take a day off. Just stay together, do whatever you want. I’ll tell the others.”

“Seriously ?”

“Yeah, you deserve it. Come on, out of my sight now !”

“Thanks, dad !”

“Thank you sir.”

And Sokka’s dragging Zuko toward the house, and he feels light and happier than he’s been in a while. Behind him, Zuko is smiling, relaxed and content, and _that_ makes Sokka even happier.

And so they spend the day together. They sit and talk on the bed for a long time, play a game (Zuko gets annoyed when he loses, so it doesn’t last too long. It’s still fun.), try to draw each other. There’s no one but them, the sounds of the village outside barely audible.

A little before lunch, Sokka has an idea.

“Hey, Zuko. Do you want to try on the dress I brought here the first day ?”

“Oh. I- yeah, why not.”

“Hm. Do you mind if I go see if there’s another one for me around ? I want to feel pretty today.”

“I don’t mind. Just… don’t take too long.”

That’s so _cute_. Zuko really missed him, too. Sokka nods and runs to his dad and Bato’s house, doing his best to not be seen by everyone getting ready to eat at the centre of the village. He- doesn’t really break in, per say, it’s his dad’s house after all. He just uses the window. Less visibility. It makes him feel like a secret agent too, and he has to keep what he does with Zuko secret. (He likes that idea. Of things only happening between him and his soulmate, secrets only they know.)

He finds the basket of clothes in the closet, and when he drags it toward him there’s another one behind. It takes him longer than he’d likes to find something, and he pushes the baskets back promptly once he does. He goes back out through the window just as the first hits of drums start, and it gives him an idea.

When he opens the door of their house, short of breath and heart beating fast, he finds Zuko at the dinner table, startled by the way he banged the door on the wall.

“I was… fast…”

“You- yeah, you were. You didn’t have to rush so much, Sokka.”

As he says that, Zuko walks around the table to stand in front of Sokka. He takes his hands, a faint blush on his cheek- wait.

“Is that… makeup ?”

Now _that_ gets him to blush. His whole face goes red, his shoulders under his ears.

“I just found some, and I… wanted to try it. But there’s no mirror, and I’ve never done that so I’m sure it’s terrible-“

“It looks okay so far ! Let me help you.”

And so they sit at the dinner table, with the drums and the singing of the tribe for sole sound. To be honest, Sokka doesn’t know anything about makeup; he has vague memories of Suki doing his, and the unfamiliar way it felt on his skin. Pretty uncomfortable, but he had looked really cool so it hadn’t mattered.

Zuko’s already wearing the dress (it really, really suits him), so Sokka runs to their bedroom to change too. His heart is beating fast from the excitation of trying something new and of doing it _with Zuko_.

He looks at what Zuko found, dusty brushes, charcoal pens and red creams. The other is twisting his hands nervously, looking anywhere but at Sokka.

“Alright. Let’s go- what do you want ?”

“Uh… just… do whatever you want.”

Well, that doesn’t help a lot. The women of the southern water tribe don’t do makeup like those in the Earth kingdom. The material used are different, too.

He takes the black stick in his hand, and Zuko closes his eyes. They’re both nervous, but Sokka thinks it can be fun- he wants to see how the other look, too. He already thinks Zuko is beautiful, but he wants to see him _pretty_.

He drags the pen slowly across skin, careful not to press down too hard and hands shaking a bit. He doesn’t touch the side with the scar, not sure if it’s okay or not. Talking about it often put Zuko in a sour mood anyway, and that’s not what they’re trying to achieve.

He goes with the cream next, dip a brush in slightly. It’s redder than Zuko’s fire nation outfit ever was, and he wonders which plant can give such bright pigment.

He stays focused on his task, painting Zuko’s lips as best as he can. Sadly, his artistic talent translates into his makeup skills and he misses a few places. Well. It’s probably not that noticeable from far away. (Not that anyone but him will see it. At that thought, a rush of happiness color his cheeks- this is just for him to witness. Just for them to experience. Selfishly, _just for him_.)

“There. Done.”

It might not look as good as Suki would do, but he’s pretty proud of himself nonetheless. Zuko blushes under his stare, clears his throat and looks away.

“Alright, now do mine.”

“Really ?”

“Yeah, come on ! I want us to match.”

They’re just seventeen years old here, doing their bests at a complicated-simple thing, enjoying each other and the moment.

Zuko’s hand is shaking and he squints his eyes when he brushes along Sokka’s skin, and the Water Tribe Boy has to keep himself from laughing. Zuko looks very focused on what he’s doing, like he does when he fights.

When he’s done, he sits back and looks at Sokka’s face so hard it makes him feel a bit uncomfortable. Sokka takes Zuko’s hand and the firebender lets the brush fall and roll to the floor. In the room they don’t sleep in, there’s a big mirror, almost as tall as the wall. They stand in front of it, hands still together, shoulders touching so they can both fit in the frame.

Zuko looks like he wants to say _« you’re really bad at this »_ , but honestly Sokka’s face doesn’t look much better.

The firebender leans toward the mirror, tries to clean up the places where the brush slipped. It’s still not amazing, but it’s not as horrible as it was before.

The dress is comfortable around Sokka’s ankles, and he doesn’t hate the reflection in the mirror, although he doesn’t quite recognize himself. The makeup makes his eyes heavier, his lips redder. He feels a bit like a child playing dress up.

He looks up to find Zuko’s eyes and stops at what he sees. This is obviously not just « playing dress up » for Zuko. He looks a bit amazed, hand leaving Sokka’s to start a course on his dress and his hair. He turns to a side then the other, and Sokka smiles at the display. He rarely gets to see Zuko like this, happy and appreciating himself. When their eyes meet, Zuko blushes to the root of his air and stops.

“Oh- sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. You’re- very pretty. Is that okay to say ? Pretty ?”

Zuko’s nod is shy, but he doesn’t reject Sokka’s hand when he takes it back.

“Now, let’s dance.”

“What ? No !”

“Come on. It’s just you and me and the music. You can’t not dance when there’s music, especially as good at that.”

From outside, they can hear the drums and the people singing. Sokka knows the song -of course he does- so he starts singing too, not caring if he sounds bad.

Zuko lets himself be dragged to the living room where they have more space, and he lets Sokka turn him around and lift his arms to a rhythm only he knows. Zuko looks softer like this, makeup and dress flowing around when he swirls. Sokka takes it all in, makes sure he’ll never forget this moment. The warmth of his soulmate’s hands, the shine in his eyes and the smile on his lips. Zuko is clumsy and awkward, but he looks like he’s having fun anyway. That’s all Sokka is asking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder that I have an account, @justmewriting_ao3 on Instagram, where I post all the art I've done for the fic.
> 
> No one ! Told me writing an epilogue was that hard ! I've started it three times. It's terrible. Next part will be the last before the epilogue :)


	4. Take my hand (let's face it all)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone ! Surprise chapter because I've been working well on the epilogue, and I wanted to do a little something for new year :) This is the final chapter of Missing words (but I know you understand). I hope you liked this story ! I've never worked that hard and for that long on anything I've created, so I'm proud of it :)  
> Thank you for all the kind comments I've received, they really motivate me and make me feel better about my writing
> 
> CW for the chapter : mention of food, canon typical violence, talk about trauma, talk about killing/death (and how to avoid it)

When their breaths get too short and they can only move clumsily from exhaustion, they fall back on their bed. There’s laughs stuck in their throat and their hands are sweaty, but they don’t let go of each other.

When the sounds outside die down and the sky darken, they take the dresses off and rinse the makeup. They splash each other with the water and smile at the black and red smudges on their faces, fold the fabric neatly and put the dresses in the back of the closet, hidden and secret. The makeup is back where Zuko found it, too, and Sokka doesn’t miss the way the firebender’s eyes linger a little too long on the pots of cream before he closes the cupboard.

It makes him want another day like this, even if he knows it’s not possible. There’s a war to win, training to do, plans to make. What they’re doing is too important, no matter how much Sokka resents it.

The others come back and Toph doesn’t stop teasing them until she goes to bed, and Aang looks a little too happy that they made up. Katara smiles at them both, takes Sokka’s hand and asks Zuko if she can steal him for a minute. The firedbender nods, but his eyes don’t leave the water tribe boy until they’re out of his field of vision.

Sokka follows her outside. He’s calm and happy, and not scared of anything.

“Listen, I wanted to apologize. You look very happy, and Zuko does too and… I’m sorry. I just- I guess I was jealous.”

“Jealous ?”

He’s surprised, because she’s not one to acknowledge these things out loud. She says sorry after they fight and calms her anger down when she needs to, but she doesn’t say thing like _I’m jealous_ or _I was wrong_ so easily.

“Yeah. Even before we knew that you became friends in Ba Sing Se, it was obvious that you got along well and… You kind of look at him a lot. I get why, now. (she has a little smile on her lips) But it felt like you…”

She takes a deep breath, looks for the words she wants to say.

“After mom died, I was just angry and sad. I still am, I guess, but it was all I could feel, all I could be. I thought we would grieve together, you and dad and me. I wanted to sleep with you both every night, and I never wanted to let you leave my sight. For months, every time I couldn’t see you I felt like you- like anything could have happened, and I wouldn’t have known, wouldn’t have been here. Sometimes it still feels that way. I know you and dad both are good warriors, but I can’t help worrying.”

“Yeah. I get it. Me too. You don’t know how many times I got scared you would get hurt (the _or worse_ isn’t said, but it’s heard) because you jump head first into everything.”

She lets her head fall on his shoulder, and he puts his arms around her.

“I thought we would stay close. Get closer. But you stopped talking to me, Sokka. You didn’t tell me when you were sad, when something made you think of her, when you were angry at the world because it felt unfair. And you still don’t. I never know when you’re sad or nostalgic or stressed out. Not really. I know we can be hot headed and that’s why you’re the plan guy. But it feels like you always have to… to stay strong, for us. You don’t have to. You don’t have to.”

He feels like crying. There’s guilt swirling in his stomach- he’s been so stuck on the idea of becoming a warrior after her death, like it was the only thing that mattered, that he didn’t even stop to think of Katara. It was all about becoming strong enough so nothing like that would happen again, becoming faster and better at aiming and-

He squeezes her tighter. He tries to keep the tears in a minute longer, before he remembers her words and he lets it go. He buries his face in her hair, lets the tears wet his cheeks until he can talk again.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, we were kids.”

“No, it wasn’t. And we still are. You’re a kid, Katara, and I don’t really feel like an adult either. I think… I think Dad should’ve been here more. It’s his job, isn’t it ? To care for us.”

It feels bad, talking like that about his dad when Sokka knows the man cried himself to sleep numerous times after the fire nation attack on their village. It’s the first time he allowed himself to express that thought, though.

“Yeah. Yeah…”

They stay like that a little longer, until everything is dark and the moon is high. Only then, they let go of each other.  
  


“I’ll make an effort, oaky ? To be more honest with you.”

“Yeah. Thanks. And, hey, I’m glad you have Zuko. I’m glad he has you, too.”

He feels another wave of emotion hit, lets it fill his heart completely and hugs her again. They step in the house slowly, careful not to wake up Toph who’s sleeping on the couch. They nod goodnight at each other and Sokka makes his way to the bedroom.

Zuko is in bed already, facing the door, awake.

“Where you waiting for me ?”

He nods, push the sheets aside so Sokka can fall in.

“Everything’s okay. We just had a talk. She’s 100% on our side now !”

He puts a thumb up and smiles with all his teeth at Zuko, who smiles in return.

“Okay. That’s good.”

He doesn’t say who it’s good for- if he’s glad Katara’s anger isn’t directed at him again or if he’s glad for Sokka- but Sokka doesn’t really mind. He lays close to Zuko, lets his eyelids drop from exhaustion. He doesn’t feel Zuko taking his hand, face read and heart beating fast.

The next day starts calmly. He wakes up with the sun, they all eat together, and then he trains a bit with Zuko when they’re not required somewhere else.

Zuko left a little earlier to go pick his swords where he left them, but he’s not coming back. More curious than worried, Sokka follows his path behind their house. The first thing he sees is Zuko’s back, tense.

“Hey, what’s going-“

In front of them, arms crossed and leaning against a tree, one of Azula’s friends is looking at them. He thinks her name was… Mei ?

“Mai. What are you doing here ?”

Mai, then. She sighs, and casually takes a knife out of her sleeve. Sokka keeps his grip tight on Boomerang in his hand.

“What do you think ? Azula sent us to look for your uncle and you after the fall of Ba Sing Se. Didn’t think I’d find you in a place like _that_.”

“Hey ! Don’t talk about things you don’t know.”

“I didn’t ask you, water tribe. Do you think I’m that dumb ? I know who you are. You little earth kingdom disguises don’t work.”

She walks a step closer, menacing, and in the blink of an eye Zuko is ready to attack. He’s posing like Sokka’s seen him do a million times, knees bent and feet apart, fists ready to throw fire in a second.

There’s an hesitation after he’s in position, probably from the fact that the person in front of him is a familiar face. Not quite a friend, but no one he hates.

“What are you even doing here ? That’s not you, Zuko.”

“I’m with the Avatar, now.”

“What ? But your dad-“

“Was wrong to send me into an impossible quest when I was thirteen.”

Sokka is hit with a wave of pride, because it’s one thing to know people did you wrong but it’s another to say it out loud.

Mai looks taken aback, silent for a few seconds. She lets her position relax (though Sokka doubts she truly does), squints her eyes and furrows her eyebrows slightly.

“And him ?”

She gestures to Sokka with her head and he doesn’t immediately know how to react. Zuko doesn’t either, apparently, because he says:

“What do you mean ?”

“I’m not dumb. You jumped in front of him the second you saw me. You don’t do _that_ , Zuko.”

Everything’s silent for what feels like centuries after that, and Sokka thinks about the way they’re hidden by the house, far from everyone else. No one knows Mai is here, and although he’s pretty sure they can take her, he’s still a bit worried.

Zuko keeps his silence, and Mai rolls her eyes and sighs.

“Ugh, this is so annoying. Either you give me a good reason to leave or I tell Azula about you and all your little friends here.”

She nods toward the rest of the village, casually taking a knife out of her sleeve and playing with it.

“Sokka.”

“Yeah ?”

“You can go.”

“What ?”

What the hell ?

Zuko looks at him with confidence in his eyes. He’s still positioned to fight.

“Just go. I’ll be okay.”

He’s too sure of himself, but Mai tenses from where she stands, and Sokka decides to trust his partner. He nods, retreats slowly without ever letting his eyes look away from Mai. As he turns the corner, he hears Zuko say “We both have things we don’t want Azula to know. You owe me one.”

He wonders what it means, but he keeps walking away until he’s far enough not to hear anything anymore but close enough to act if necessary.

Time slows down horribly, and he feels like watching Yue disappear in his arms felt. He’s debating going to see what’s going on or gesturing for Katara to come here- he sees her coming his way, probably curious as to what he’s doing standing there, unmoving. Just as he takes a step toward the house, Zuko rounds the corner, unhurt but tense.

“What’s g-“

“We have to leave.”

“What ?”

He takes Sokka’s wrist in his hand and runs toward Katara, who furrows her eyebrows and start walking faster as well.

“Zuko, what happened with her ?”

“She left, for now, but we have to go.”

They’re close enough for Katara to hear, and she follows them as they run past her.

“What’s going on ?”

“Mai was here. I made her promise not to tell Azula where I am exactly, but she’s probably going to say she heard rumours or something about me being here. And uncle, too. Where are the others ?”

“What ? I’ll go get them, tell dad about this.”

Katara starts running in Aang and Toph’s direction, and without a word Zuko and Sokka split up to find their respective father figures. It takes a few minutes and it feels like time they’re wasting, but they meet in front of the gAang’s house once again. Everyone more or less knows what’s going on, now, but there’s still confused looks on everyone faces.

“Are you sure she’s not going to reveal where we are ?”

“I am. There’s- something. She owes me this one. We still need to leave, separately if possible. She won’t tell Azula the water tribe is here, but she’ll definitely mention me.”

“You all go on Appa. I’ll guide the tribe away from here as soon as possible. History repeats itself, I guess.”

“What do you mean ?”

“I’m talking about why this village was abandoned in the first place. But we don’t have time for this; pack your things, I’ll get all the men to work.”

Hakoda nods at them one last time and leaves in a hurry.

After that, it’s packing without hesitation like they know how to, fast and efficient. They leave behind things that’ll become burdens more than useful, and Sokka finds himself a little sad to let the dress he took for Zuko in the back of the closet. He hopes someone else will find it, and be as happy to wear it as Zuko was. He smiles fondly at the memory, only allowing himself a short moment before he resumes his packing.

They change back to the outfits they came in, Zuko’s dark clothes contrasting with the colourful fabrics everyone else is wearing. The bags are packed, waiting in the doorway of the bedroom Sokka and Zuko have been sharing for weeks. The Water Tribe boy looks around one last time, to the sheets they folded at the foot of the bed, the empty closet, the grass just outside. He thinks of the things they said at that window- lovers songs and I love yous, moments they won’t ever forget, probably.

His eyes stop on Zuko, who is looking around as well. He looks like he’s looking for something for a few seconds, before he stops like he suddenly remembered where it is.

“Oh. Right.”

“What is it ?”

“Nothing I just… I forgot I lost my mask in Ba Sing Se.”

“Ah, yeah…”

It’s strange to think about that day. It feels years away, and Sokka can barely remember what he felt when they all discovered the Blue Spirit’s identity. It’s normal for him now that he’s used to seeing Zuko swirls the swords around like it’s the easiest thing in the world. It still makes his heart beat a little faster, not so much because it’s dangerous with how sharp they are, but just because Zuko is beautiful when he fights. Sokka likes Zuko when he’s laughing with everyone and whispering things in the night, too, but he’s never as beautiful as when he turns and kicks and slices the air. Maybe it’s the graceful movements, the confidence that builds with every punch, or just that Sokka love Zuko too much. 

It doesn’t take them that long to pack and, despite the urgency of the situation, Sokka can’t help but feel a little sad that they didn’t have more time.

Hakoda waits for them even though he probably has things to pack too, and Sokka feels a bit like crying at the idea of leaving him again. Well- he’s the one who left, the first time, but it didn’t make the pain any lighter. Sokka is grown, now, he’s almost an adult. It means he has to be strong. So he keeps the tears for later, when it’ll only be him and the world again.

His dad gives them a map and a hawk- they have two or three, anyway, and they need to be able to communicate. It’s light coloured and a bit fearful, but Aang has already taken a liking to the animal.

Sokka lets his dad hug him and tries to tell himself he’s not squeezing him as hard as he can. Hakoda doesn’t say anything, though, and he keeps his head high as if to say, _it will all be okay_.

It lasts a minute (though it felt more like a second) before Katara is pushing him away to get to their dad too.

“What do you mean, you’re not coming ?”

Sokka turns around at Zuko’s question, surprised by the emotion in his voice. Uncle Iroh is shaking his head, a sad look in his eyes. Zuko stutters around _why_ s and _but_ s, and the old man answers by taking his hands. They look like old men’s hands, wrinkled and calloused. If he squints, Sokka thinks he can see a few scars here and there. Compared to them, Zuko’s hands, calloused too but much smoother, look like children’s hands.

“It’s too dangerous. Azula doesn’t know I am with you; it’s safer this way. I have no doubt the Avatar’s bison will appreciate not having my weight on him as well.”

It seems to break Zuko’s heart a bit, and Sokka remembers that his uncle has been the only constant in his life for the past three years. It’s the only good family he has, the one who stayed with him through everything the longest. Sokka slides his fingers between Zuko’s, wincing a bit when they’re crushed.

He can see the hesitation in Zuko’s posture, like he isn’t quite sure whether to run or hug his uncle goodbye. He makes a decision, lets go of Sokka’s hand and circles his arms around the smaller man. Iroh hugs back, and Sokka looks away. This isn’t for him to see. He’s glad, though, that Zuko feels comfortable enough to show this kind of vulnerability around them. He lifts his head and sees Toph, standing there awkwardly. He marches to her, nudges her with his elbow and leans down to whisper in her ear.

“You can say goodbye to him, too. I’m sure he’ll appreciate.”

She looks outraged and crosses her arms. Aang jumped on Iroh as soon as he finished his conversation and hug with Zuko, and the monk is already saying he misses their games. Sokka pushes Toph in front of him and they both know she doesn’t resist as hard as she could. She keeps her arms crossed and would probably look down if she wasn’t blind, but she lets Sokka stops her in front of Iroh.

“Goodbye, Greatest Earthbender in the World.”

That makes her smile.  
  


  
“Bye, old man.”

He follows with some kind of strange metaphor involving turtleducks, spirits and forests, and walks away. Sokka goes to take Zuko’s hand again to try to give him some comfort, but the prince is looking at something in his hands.

“What is it ?”

The firebender turns his hands so Sokka can see- it’s a Pai Sho tile, adorned with a white flower.

“Uncle said that we could use that if we ever needed help, but I really don’t see how that can do anything.”

“Hm. Maybe if you throw it hard enough at someone’s head ?”

Zuko shrugs. He pockets the tile, and lets go of Sokka to accept the relatively awkward hug from Hakoda. They all climb on Appa -Zuko struggles a bit, not as used as the others. It’s a bit crowded, maybe, or maybe it’s just an excuse for Sokka and Zuko to sit so close their arms are touching. Katara looks over them, a smile on her lips. It turns into a playful roll of her eyes when Sokka lets his head fall on Zuko’s shoulder as Appa gets off the floor. Sokka sees her and sticks out his tongue. Just, sibling things.

They fly away from the village, and Sokka sighs. Here comes the cold nights under the rain and the too small meals when they can’t find enough. Well, camping has its perks too, like talking around the campfire -especially now that Zuko’s here to light it up- and discovering new places.

He opens the map, trying to think of where they should go next. They’ll need to avoid the more populated areas, of course, and they’re going to have to stop more often because they’re heavier. Appa needs to rest, after all, and he does the most work.

The sky is clear and Momo and the Hawk are playing together (or maybe it’s fighting ? He can’t quite say from here). It’s been a long time since they’ve been like this.

They all got used to living with people again, and it takes half an hour of uncomfortable silence for someone to start a conversation. It shouldn’t be so hard, because they know each other and they’re all friends, more or less, but the wind past their ears and the never ending blue around them feels like too much. It’s Katara who talks first, probably bothered by the silence. She’s always preferred the chatter of Gran-Gran rather than the quietness of ice planes as far as eyes could see.

“So, do you know what actually happened for the village to be abandoned like this ?”

“Oh ! Actually, Hakoda told me and Toph. Uhm, it’s not a very funny story.”

Aang leans back to talk to them, a dangerous thing to do on a giant flying bison that Sokka got used to see. Zuko didn’t, and he looks a bit worried for the kid before Aang rejoints them on the saddle. It makes Sokka proud to see that change, the way the Zuko of a few months ago would have probably been the one to push Aang off. It’s starting to get _really_ crowded.

“So, it used to be a pretty populated village, yeah ? With pretty rich people from the Earth Kingdom. There was some fight between two families over land neither wanted to give up, and so one of the family asked a guy to take care of it.”

“You mean, an assassin ?”

_Of course ‘_ an assassin’ is the first thing Zuko thinks of when he hears “taking care of it.” Aang shakes his hands in front of his face, shaking his head.

“No, they just wanted to mess with them. Well, the guy they hired found a way to pollute their water. Except it kind of got overhand and the whole village’s water got polluted, so people had to leave. They kind of left in a hurry because people started fighting each other over clean water, too, and it became too dangerous to stay.”

“What ? But there’s the ocean right next to it…”

“The Earth Kingdom high class doesn’t know how to make ocean water drinkable, Sokka. All they know to do is buy unnecessary expensive things and parade in front of others. Ugh, I’m so glad I left that world. Travelling with you all is _so_ much more entertaining.”

Hm. That makes sense, Sokka supposes. The ice back home is the easiest way to get water, but they’re travellers, and how to make any water drinkable is one of the first thing they learn.

Sokka really likes to learn about all those cultural differences; the things that are obvious to him and foreign to others or the contrary. The way the fire nation doesn’t dance but fight gracefully, the airbenders finding their sky bison when they’re young, the earth kingdom’s casts… Since they started travelling, it’s always been somewhat fascinating. He wants to learn everything -not that they have the time for that right now, but later. When the war is over, in a few months. He’ll go to the biggest library he can find and read all he can, he’ll travel to the places he hasn’t seen, and he’ll take the time to stop and take everything in. He’ll learn the languages and the arts, new ways of fighting and how to cook his friend’s favourite meals. No one seems to be interested in the cultural differences as much as he does, but it’s okay. He can do this alone; it wouldn’t be so bad to be by himself sometimes.

He doesn’t let himself think too hard about the after the war. He doesn’t dare hope too much, because even if he’s confident in the plan and trusts their allies, you never know. And he tends to think of the worst first, and thoughts of _travelling alone_ ends up with _someone gets hurt while I’m away and I don’t make it back in time_ most of the times.

He finds Zuko’s hand with his, silently. The other takes it, squeeze it in a comforting way. He doesn’t ask what’s wrong, but he stays here in support anyway.

Conversations flows more easily now, and they share anecdotes and gossip of things they’ve seen. They got over the map again, and Sokka tries to make Aang understand they can’t just stop anywhere he wants them too, _yes, even if there’s an awesome rock foundation here_. Sadly but unsurprisingly, Katara is on his side, like always.

Well. Guess there’s going to be a few stops here and there.

It’s new, travelling with Zuko. He’s forced to interact with the others and the others are forced to interact with him. It’s not like they never talked back in the village, but there was always something else to do to escape the lingering awkwardness. Katara is really making an effort, talking to Zuko first and including him in the conversations.

They stop when the sun starts to set, in a clear spot in the middle of a forest. The tents are set up fast, although Zuko mostly stands and watches them work, a bit lost on what to do.

Aang is friendly enough to compensate with Toph’s uninterest and Katara’s awkwardness. When he starts talking about the Fire Nation he remembers, Zuko leans a bit closer and focuses on the small boy.

“It really was fun ! My friend Kuzon showed me awesome places, like that one volcano in the middle of a boiling lake ! People used to do competitions and races, on here.”

Zuko’s grimace doesn’t go unseen, and Aang deflates.

“They don’t race anymore ?”

“You’re talking about the Boiling Rock, right ? There’s uh, a prison now. The highest security prison in the Fire Nation.”

“Aw, man. They ruin all the fun things.”

And then they’re talking about national celebrations, like Agni’s birth or the Air Nomads’ Day of Peace. It gets dark, and the fire gets low, so Zuko lit it again. He barely touches the wood, let the flames bloom in his palm and drip down his fingers, slowly. Sokka thinks that he’d like to be a bender sometimes, just to be able to do things like that. He thinks it’s beautiful.

To do things effortlessly, run water on injuries and let fire trace his surroundings in the dark. To keep his hands warm at all times, make sculptures out of earth to give to his friends, catch birds with a gush of wind. He wishes he had that to share with Katara, on days where it feels like the only thing they have in common is the Pole they grew in and the trauma the death of their mother left them with.

He’s pretty content with who he is, though. He’s happy without bending. Maybe it takes him minutes to light a fire and hours to sculpt something, but he does it all on his own, in the end. He’s a warrior, too. A warrior of the Southern water tribe, and maybe his boomerang is the wrong shade of blue but it’s a weapon he’s mastered. He has the sword too, now, lighter and easier to move around with every push and pull of the blade. And he’s here, with the Avatar and master benders, travelling the world and making plans. He’s probably useful, too, because they haven’t told him to go back home yet.

Zuko moves a little, sits a bit closer. He lets his weight fall to the side, their shoulders touching. On the left of Sokka, Toph is yawning, and on the other side of the fire, Katara and Aang are talking and smiling at each other. It feels like home. The moon is half full, Yue quiet and distant, but Sokka knows she’s looking at them all. He hopes she’s happy for him.

He lets his head fall on Zuko’s shoulder, breaths in his scent and the brunt wood. He closes his eyes, lets his sister’s voice lull him to sleep. He can feel the grass tickling his palms and the cool breeze in his wolftail, Zuko and Toph’s warmth close to him. They’re on the run again, and it kinds of suck, but it’s natural, too. Camping at night, hunting trips, the vast expense of the sky around them and far away cities they fly above days after days… Being so crowded on the saddle that they’re always touching in a way or another; and Toph, completely blind so high up, with her arms around Sokka’s or her feet on his ankles. Packing up every morning just after the sun rises and the stupid arguments and the hysterical laughter… It’s all habits.

It’s the same thing as the south pole, really. The fires burn just as warm, and it’s same hunting tricks he uses, Katara’s laugh and the blue-white all around them. Aang’s jokes are the same as Bato’s, Iroh’s wise words the same as Gran-Gran. Zuko teaches sword fighting like Kala taught Sokka how to use his first boomerang. Toph grumbles and pouts like all the kids did.

Yeah.

Feels like home.

The days after that are routine. They wake up early, train for an hour or two. Zuko teaches Sokka sword fighting, or he tries to teach Aang firebending like Katara and Toph do with their own elements. It’s pretty funny, because he has no patience and Aang is _extremely_ easy to distract. Sokka’s becoming better with his sword each day, and he can almost manage to win against Zuko, now. He’s pretty sure Zuko’s skills with swords are above average for Fire Nation soldiers, too.

Then they get on Appa and fly, away from the villages, close to the coast. At one point, while they’re resting in a short and dense forest, Aang flies above to look around; it’s a precaution they’ve grown used to take. He thinks he sees something, someone approaching in their direction. He can’t be sure if it’s Azula, but they don’t take the risk. They walk through the rest of the forest to find a less obvious spot, and leave it before the sun has time to rise the next morning. After that, they don’t see anything else suspicious.

As they approach the day of the of the black sun, Aang gets more and more anxious. They haven’t talked yet about what he’ll have to do, not in details. It stayed at “making sure the Fire Lord can’t harm anyone anymore”, with all that it implies. They know, of course, that most of them mean death. It’s even weirder to talk about it with Zuko here, because even if he might be the one that Ozai hurt the most, Sokka knows he still care. Ozai is still his father, despite how terrible he is, and Sokka can’t be mad at Zuko for whatever he feels toward him. Not everyone is like that, and not everyone loves their parents; Zuko does, though. He loves a lot of people, Sokka thinks. He just has a hard time expressing it.

The Water Tribe Warrior knows that if he was in Zuko’s place, his father’s death would be painful. If he was burnt and banished and left alone to an impossible goal, he’d cry at his father’s grave all the same. And Zuko already lost his mother -it seems like he lost Azula, too, sometimes.

He rarely talks about her, and when he does it’s to tell terrifying stories he labels as “normal sibling interactions”. There’s bitterness in his voice when he says _Azula always lies_ and _after mom left, she became even worse_ , but when he talks about the way she played with her friends near the pound or how she brushed his hair when they were little, it’s with the fondness of a sibling. It makes Sokka sad, to know Zuko’s family is like this. He’s grateful for Iroh, but the old man is all metaphors and mysterious phrasing.

_I don’t understand_ , Zuko told him one day. The sun was high and they were sitting at the edge of the forest, right in front of the window in their bedroom. Zuko had woken up with a nightmare, and Sokka could tell he had felt wrong the whole morning. It was in the way he kept replacing his clothes like they weren’t right, the way he left half of his bowl of food full, the fidgeting of his legs. And he said, _I don’t understand_ like it meant _I want to, I want to, I want to_. His words were rushed but so painful, and Sokka had hated that he couldn’t do anything about it.

The years Zuko and Iroh spent together on a boat were hard. The youngest was still angry and bitter at the world and at his Uncle’s seemingly meaningless words. There were problems on both ends, and Sokka’s glad to know it’s better now. The first few nights camping, Zuko turned to an empty place with a cup of tea, a surname on the tip of his tongue. They all knew not to comment on it, the slumping of the firebender’s shoulders all too familiar to those who had left their homes and the people they loved in a hurry.

So they don’t talk about what Aang will have to do. It’ll be necessary, at some point, of course. Aang won’t kill, but what other solutions are there ? Imprisonment could work, but they can’t risk Ozai escaping. And so Sokka thinks about it at night, works his brain for solutions, comes up with impossible things under Yue’s light. He’s exhausted.

It’s how Zuko finds him one night. He’s lying on his back, arms crossed, thinking about an idea he had a few days ago. It’s stupid and it won’t work, but he still tries to find a way. He hears the rustle of the sleeping bag next to him, and Zuko’s voice, rasp even in a whisper.

“What are you doing ?”

“I’m thinking.”

“About what ?”

“… The invasion. Aang. What he’ll have to-“

He takes a breath, closes his eyes.

“I’m just thinking.”

Zuko stays silent for a few seconds. They’re in a forest, the dense trees making it impossible to see anything without light. Zuko puts his hand on Sokka’s arm, coaxes him into letting them fall at his side. Then he’s moving, and Sokka can’t see what he’s doing but the air gets warmer, next to him. Zuko brings his sleeping bag closer, lays on his side to face Sokka.

They don’t talk. They don’t need to, not really, and Sokka buries his head under Zuko’s chin. The firebender wraps his arms around the Southern Water Tribe boy. It’s okay, because it’s the middle of the night and there’s no one to see them. It feels like they’re alone in the world tonight, and they can do whatever they want. So Zuko hugs Sokka, and Sokka let stress tears slide down his cheeks and onto Zuko’s clothes. It’s a drop or two, silent if for the shaky breaths Sokka let out. Zuko hugs him a bit harder, and it feels like he’s saying _I’m here, it’ll be okay_.

Sokka really, really wants to believe him.

The solution to the big question of _what_ exactly Aang will do to “take care of the firelord” comes when they finally decide to talk about it. Not very surprising.

They left the village a month ago, and Hakoda’s hawk just came back with a letter saying the first allies have started to arrive. There’s a new place for them to meet, since the village they stayed in was clearly not a good idea anymore. It’s a day or two from where the gAang is, with Appa. They’re sitting in a circle, a tense silent as they all think about what’s soon to come. They finished eating a few minutes prior, quiet through the whole meal.

Sokka can’t take it anymore.

“Okay, I can’t do this. I’m sorry, Aang, I’ve really tried to think about the way you could do it, but I don’t see another solution.”

_You have to kill him_ is left unsaid, but everyone around the campfire hears it. Aang pales, looks to the ground like he wants to throw up. Katara turns to his brother, angry.

“Sokka !”

“We have to talk about it at some point ! Aang needs to take down Ozai, and there’s only one way to do it.”

“Maybe…”

Zuko’s word was muttered, probably only meant for him. Sokka hears it anyway. He’s desperate, at this point, for anything. So he turns to his friend, eager to hear what he has to say.

“What ? Do you have an idea ?”

_I know you don’t want that. I know you don’t want him dead._

“You’re the Avatar, right ? So you control all the elements.”

“Yeah. That’s the whole point.”

Aang is bitter when he’s stressed, words always harsher than he intends them to be. He looks regretful as they leave him, but Zuko talks before he has time to apologize.

“ Then why don’t you just…”

He struggles to find his words, moves his arms around like it’ll help him.

“Spit it out, Firecraker. Start by the start.”

Zuko takes a deep breath, furrows his eyebrow and thinks for a minute.

“Do you know what firebending is ?”

“Yes, of course I do.”

“No, I mean, what it is. Where it’s from.”

Aang looks confused for a second before he seems to remember something. He answers with hesitation, not quite sure how it can help.

“You mean, that firebending is something that’s part of your body, like the natural heat is your fire and that’s why you can just _make_ fire without the need of an external source ?”

“Yes. If you take that away, then he won’t… right ? You just take his bending away. You went to see that guru something, didn’t he teach you how to do that ?”

“No but… I think I can do it. Yeah that’ll be… You can live without bending, and then we just lock him up or something. It won’t be pleasant for him, of course. But after everything he’s done…”

Zuko nods , and Sokka sighs of relief. This better work. It needs to.

“I think that could work. Now come on TwinkleToes, it’s time for your earth bending lesson. I’ll be less gentle than yesterday !”

“What ? But yesterday you threw rocks at me so fast I thought I was going to die !”

“Me ? Never. You dreamt, probably.”

The youngers of the group leave, the ambiance way lighter now.

“Thank you, Zuko.”

Katara smiles at him as she says this, and he answers with a nod. Sokka smiles at his sister, too. There’s this warm feeling in his chest again, the one that come when he sees the people he loves get along or happy. He sits a little straighter, let his fingers graze Zuko’s. His friend doesn’t look at him, but he lets their hands settle together.

Aang is still definitely stressed to death, but now what occupies all of his mind is the guru’s teaching. He spends his days mumbling the same words over and over again, meditating more than ever. At least meditating is something relaxing for him, Sokka guesses.

They haven’t seen any new signs of Azula of her friends, and they’re all starting to relax. Except for Zuko. He never stops glancing behind them whenever they fly on Appa, looking down like he’s ready to see his sister hanging onto the bison’s tail. He takes first watch every night, his swords close to him and a serious expression on his face. He’s reluctant to wake up the others when their turn come; Sokka always notices the moon is a little higher than it should when Zuko shakes him awake.

He tries to be comforting, to say out loud “ _there’s not a trace of anyone around_ ” whenever he comes back from hunting. He stays close to his friend, tries to find light subjects to talk about. It comes more easily some times than others. Zuko tells them, one night.

“Azula doesn’t give up. She always finds what she looks for; she’s always a step ahead, always at the wrong place at the wrong time. She would have found us already, if she really wanted to. If she’s not chasing us, then it means there’s something more important going on.”

“Do you think she knows about the invasion plan ?”

He shrugs, uncomfortable.

“I don’t know. It’s a possibility.”

“But how would she…”

“She’s very good at making plans and guessing others’. I wouldn’t put it past her to suspect something, even if Mai didn’t say anything.”

“Okay. I’ll write to dad, warn him about it. We need to be prepared for every eventuality.”

“Yeah. I think it’s safer.”

When they finally arrive at the meeting point, the camp is already full of people. Sokka can see boats getting closer to the coast, and he recognises the swamp guys waving at them from below. He waves back. There’s Haru -the moustache does _not_ suit him- and his dad, Pipsqueak and The Duke. The Boulder and his friend are here too, and Theo and his father accost a few minutes after the gAang. 

Appa lays down when he lands, tired from the trip. Hakoda is waiting for them, arms open, hugging each of them one by one. Even Zuko gets the greeting, quicker than the others. He looks uncomfortable for the entirety of it.

Hakoda tells them that Iroh isn’t here. He left to “find some old friends” and trusts that Zuko will find him when he needs to. It’s a bit presumptuous in Sokka’s opinion, considering he hasn’t left any indices about where he could be but, well. Zuko has always been good at tracking people down.

The ambiance is different than when they were at the village. Everyone is a bit high strung, a little stressed. They don’t all know each other, either- every group stays between themselves until dinner time rings. As always, it’s a group thing; they pull logs to sit on and fires to cook, music and songs. The majority of the people in the creek are water tribe, after all.

The Day of the Black Sun is three days from now, and they’ve gone over the plan again and again- adding the possibility of Azula knowing or suspecting it. Most of the people are going to be here as distraction. They won’t have the effect of surprise for long, and they’re just here so that the gAang can access the bunker where the Fire Lord hides. From then on, Zuko will guide Aang toward the right room. The others are supposed to stay behind to blur their track and keep too many fighters from approaching the avatar. The more he can focus on Ozai, the better it is. They’ll only get eight minutes without bending, after all. Zuko’s here to fight alongside him, and Sokka promised himself he’d get to him- them- as soon as possible.

They’re a team, after all. Katara, Toph, Aang, Zuko and him. It means they fight together, until the end, whatever it takes. Because this battle is more important than them, a bunch of teenagers -barely, Toph and Aang are so _young_ \- doing their best. They _have_ to win it. And Sokka has faith in all of them. They’ve been training hard, for months- they’re as ready as can be.

Hakoda wanted, at first, to send some of his men with them. It’s his kids he’s sending after all, his blood, at the centre of the battle. The idea was quickly dismissed; the less they are, the more discreet it’ll be. And everyone who’s job is to be a distraction has an important role. Every single person here today is necessary to the plan.

Sokka fumbles with his words and his feet when he tries explaining the plan, and his dad’s hand on his shoulder when he takes his place has never made him feel more disappointed. Hakoda has trust in them, though. He talks and he’s confident, and Sokka can see all their allies standing straighter by the end of his speech. The anxiety in his stomach eases, too; at this instant, he’s sure they can do it.

Still, even if Sokka believes that they can do it, the last nights are the hardest. He can’t help but think of the worst, a hundred painful scenarios that do him no good. It’s easier during the day, when he’s busy making sure the submarines are perfect or when he’s training with Zuko. The Mechanist praises him for his idea, and he feels a little proud of himself.

They sleep in tents, Zuko, Aang, two other Water Tribe warriors and him. It’s too much, the last night before the invasion. He stands up silently, careful not to disturb those around him. It’s dark outside, the new moon almost invisible in the sky. He walks to the beach, lets the water flows around his ankles. The sea seems endless, like it did back home.

He hears footsteps, muffled by the sand behind him. Zuko stops next to him, looks ahead like he does. He takes Sokka’s hand, and it’s warm. He takes a breath, and their eyes meet. It’s hard to see, even that close. Sokka knows Zuko’s eyes, though, through and through. He could see them with his own closed.

“When we get back. After we’ve won, tell me again. What we are.”

“Zuko, I-”

“Please, Sokka.”

“…Okay. Okay.”

Sokka lets his arms fall on Zuko’s shoulders. He burrows his face in the firebender’s shoulder, infinitely glad that this kind of touch is okay now. He hugs his partner tight, wordless anxiety quietly washing away with the waves at their feet. It’s cold, but Zuko’s warm. 

The next morning comes quicker than it should. They all eat together one last time. They clean their weapons, put on their armours- the weight of Sokka’s helmet is new and terrifying. It makes him feel like a real warrior, though. He _does_ belong here.

He helps wrap the dark pieces of clothes around Zuko’s forearms, and their hands stay together a little longer than they should.

After that, they board on the boats. For now, Aang rides on Appa. Zuko is comfortable on the boat, used to the slow rolling of the waves under them. Toph, though, grips the sides and looks visibly green.

Sadly, they can’t avoid being seen at Azulon’s gates. The nets, when they aren’t pulled, go too deep in the water for the submarines to pass. And Azulon’s gates, according to their map, is the shortest path to the Fire Nation Capital. When the fog above the water starts to clear and the first shouts can be heard, they hurry under the deck. The submarines leave just as the first Firebender land on the boats. They’ve tested the submarines before, of course. Still, Sokka can’t help the knock in his stomach for the first few seconds under water.

This time, Toph does throw up- in The Duke’s helmet. Zuko looks uncomfortable as well but Sokka isn’t surprised. He’s a _fire_ bender after all- he’s in all but his element right now. 

The resurface once, because of the limited air supply. They go over the plans in detail one last time. As they get ready to leave, Katara and Aang stop to talk. Sokka squints his eyes- he’s not dumb, he knows these two are head over heels for each other. Still, that’s his little sister right here.

He misses their kiss when the Mechanist calls him over. He hands him a little object.

“This will tell you how long you have before the eclipse. When the hand is on the red line, it means it’s starting.”

“Oh, thank you ! I think it’s really going to be useful.”

“No problem. Say, after this, you should come see me sometimes. I feel like we could do great things together.”

That’s-

“Wow. I- yes, of course. You’re so great at what you’re doing.”

“Your ideas are very good, Sokka. Don’t underestimate yourself.”

He doesn’t have time to answer. Hakoda calls everyone, and the gAang jump on Appa as the submarines go under again.

“Okay. Let’s go. Everyone’s ready ?”

Aang turns, and for once Sokka can really see the Avatar in him. He’s rarely seen him so serious. It feels almost wrong, because Aang is supposed to be joyful and funny and distracted.

“Yes. I’m ready to defeat the Fire lord.”

“Pff, I was _born_ ready.”

Toph has her arms crossed behind her head like this is something easy, that they do every day. Well, that’s just how she is. Sokka doesn’t doubt her capacities one second.

As they approach the coast, Aang and Katara use their bending to create fog around them. They pass over without any incidents.

The first sounds of fighting reach them, but Sokka can’t see anything anyway, cloudy white obscuring his vision. He sends a prayer to Tui and La for everything to go well, and they land heavily on the side of the mountain. From then on, they’ll have to walk to get into Caldera City. Sokka checks the watch the Mechanist gave him: they have around thirty minutes left. They’re on time.

When Zuko and Iroh explained the underground bunker and the tunnels leading to it, they warned them about the traps and the dangerousness of the trip. With four benders, it should be okay; still, they’re going to have to be fast.

“We’re almost there. Be quiet; there’s only a few guards walking around, we can’t get caught.”

Zuko crouches down behind a house and they follow his lead. The city is silent, and it makes Sokka uncomfortable. It takes a few very stressful minutes for them to reach their goal. It looks like every other house they’ve passed by so far, wooden door and beige walls.

Zuko looks at Toph and she takes a few seconds to check their surroundings before nodding to the fire bender.

“Alright. I’m going to break down the door, and the guards will probably hear it, so we have to be fast.”

He already has his feet high in the air when the fact that this might not be the best idea Zuko’s ever had dawn on Sokka. He doesn’t have time to react before Zuko’s feet crashes against the door, the wood splinting and breaking in the middle. Oh. Wow. That’s a _very_ powerful kick. Sokka is so glad he isn’t their enemy anymore.

Zuko rushes inside, pushing aside what’s left of the door. They hurry after him, the metallic sound of the armoured guards running approaching.

Zuko dances around the furniture to get to a closet- wait no, it just looks like one. There are actually two heavy metal doors behind. Toph pushes Zuko asides and opens the door with her metalbending.

When the first gush of air gets to them, it’s hot. _Very_ hot. They slip inside as fast as possible, Katara closing the closet’s door behind them.

In front of them, there’s lava. They stand on a rock above a river of hot, _boiling lava._

“Shit. How do we get past that ?”

Zuko steps in front of them. He looks intimidating in all black clothes, his swords at his back and faintly illuminated by the fire under.

“Just trust me. I’ve been here before.”

He leads them in tunnels and through burning lacs, Toph occasionally stepping in to open more metal doors. They try to bend the lava, wondering if their combined earth and fire bending can work but it doesn’t budge a bit.

They finally land in a tunnel, and Zuko stops.

“Okay. The throne room should be down this way; how much time do we have left ?”

Sokka checks the clock. He wipes the sweat on his forehead as he takes it out of his pocket.

“We have ten minutes starting… now.”

They start advancing cautiously to their goal. It’s empty and silent save for their breath and their footsteps on the hot rock of the mountain. Well, now that Sokka thinks about it’s more likely that this is a _volcano_ , rather than a mountain.

They don’t meet anyone on the way. It’s _very_ weird, because the guards above probably warned someone that the door leading to one of the bunker’s entrances was broken down. It stresses Sokka out even more, and he grips his swords and his boomerang so tightly his hands hurt. They stop in front of two heavy doors.

“This is it. He should be here.”

They nod, and step back to let Aang open the door with a burst of airbending.

The first thing they see is Azula sitting on the throne, dark red armour and infuriating little smirk on.

“Hi. Bet you didn’t expect me, uhm ? Oh, Zuzu- hm. That’s an interesting development.”

“ _Azula_. What are you doing here ?”

She doesn’t answer, instead crossing her arms and sitting back in the chair.

“You had a change of heart, did you ? My, why would you do that ? Don’t you like the comfort of your throne ? Though, I doubt you’ll be anywhere but in a prison after that, _traitor_.”

“Stop. Dad was wrong. And I’ll do everything I can to stop him. We aren’t great, Azula. Everyone is just terrified of the fire nation.”

“But isn’t that what we want ?”

Mai and Ty Lee step out of the shadows, and Sokka knows it’ll make everything way harder.

“I took some old friends with me. I hope you don’t mind.”

“We’re not here for you, Azula.”

“Come on, Zuzu. Didn’t you miss me ?”

He stays silent. Sokka checks the clock once more- shit. Five minutes left. Before he has time to warn the others, Azula snaps her fingers and her friends start attacking.

Toph stomps on the floor and create a wall to block Mai’s knives, and Ty Lee easily jumps above. She lands silently in front of Zuko and throws a kick. He ducks and her foot swings just above his head.

Azula jumps off the throne and punch blue fire their way; Katara bends her water to extinguish it before it can get to them in one quick movement. Sokka is busy redirecting Mai’s knives with his sword, the clang of metal against metal hurting his hears. She’s fast, easily snatching the blades that come back her way mid-throw.

“Tch. You got better since last time we fought.”

He doesn’t know how to feel about receiving a compliment from someone he’s fighting against, but he has no time to think about it. Zuko and Azula throw punches and kicks that make Sokka sweat under his helmet. Toph tries to block Azula as much as she can, but the older girl keeps jumping over the walls Toph sets up. It’s obviously frustrating for the earthbender, and the rocks explode under Azula’s fire like clay.

A few metres away, Ty Lee cries when Aang uses airbending to throw her back, and Mai gets momentarily distracted. One look at the clock and Sokka yells :

“Aang, you have to go now ! There’s not much time left !”

Mai looks at Sokka and throws one last knife before she runs to Ty Lee, still knocked out against the wall. He easily steps aside and avoids it. Aang looks at Katara like it hurts to leave her, and he runs to the doors after nodding to Sokka. Azula turns to Mai and Ty Lee and yells at them.

“What are you _doing_ ? Get up, idiots !”

Ty Lee groans as she wakes up, and Sokka decides to keep an eye on them. He throws Boomerang and it rebounds on the wall. It hits Azula in the shoulder and she cries out in pain, stumbling a few steps back. She turns to Sokka and he feels a chill run down his spine when their eyes meet. She’s furious, and that’s more terrifying than anything he’s seen. Katara hits her with her water and Sokka takes advantage of the few seconds he has to talk to Zuko.

“Zuko ! Do you know where Ozai could be ?”

“I… yes, I have an idea.”

“Good. Go get Aang. I think he went left.”

“But I can’t leave you here, with Azula and-”

“Zuko ! We’ll be okay but you _need_ to go ! There’s not enough time !”

They ignore the fighting behind them for a minute, and Zuko takes Sokka’s free hand and squeezes it.

They look into each other’s eyes for a few seconds, and Sokka hears the _come back to me_ they don’t say. Zuko leaves and Sokka doesn’t watch him go, because he knows it’ll be too hard. They all have a role to play in this battle, and his is here.

Mai and Ty Lee have re-joined the fight. Sokka’s boomerang hit Azula hard, and it seems like her shoulder is at least dislocated.

The clock in his pocket dings, and Azula kicks a poor excuse of a flame.

The eclipse started.

He really, really hopes Aang and Zuko have found Ozai.

Things after that start being weird. Mai and Ty Lee keep fighting, but they clearly aren’t putting as much energy as before. Azula starts running around, and it takes Sokka a while to understand what she’s doing.

“Katara, Toph, stop ! She’s just playing with us, we’re wasting our time.”

Sokka blocks one of Mai’s knives once more -does she have something against him ? Toph curses and Azula just dodge another of Katara’s whip. She says through gritted teeth :

“Clever.”

Sokka starts to back down. Mai and Ty Lee are still a threat, but they seem distracted for some reason. They need to find Zuko and Aang. They don’t know the situation, don’t know if there’s more guards than they can fight off, if they even found Ozai. The clock is dangerously ticking down.

Just as he’s about to shout to Toph and Katara that they need to leave immediately, Ty Lee approach Azula.

She does a series of quick movement before the fire Princess has time to react, and her body tenses. Sokka grimaces, remembering when he was the one Ty Lee immobilised. Then the absurdity of the situation dawn on him- what is this ? Last minute treason ??

Azula’s body fall to the ground, and even from here Sokka can feel her rage. Mai approaches, taking Ty Lee’s hand in hers.

“Sorry. I love her more than I fear you. I don’t think you’re going to win this time, Azula.”

Okay, so it _is_ last minute treason.

The two girls walk past them, probably fleeing before things start getting dangerous again. They stop just before the open doors, turning one last time to the stunned members of the gaAng. Ty Lee’s light on her feet, her braid swishing with her movement.

“Thank you for the distraction, guys !”

“Hey, Water Tribe.”

Mai is looking right at Sokka, casually playing with one of her knives with the hand that isn’t holding her friend (friend ?). Sokka swallows and grips his sword tighter.

“Take care of him.”

She points the knife at him and squints her eyes as she says it. It _definitely_ feels like a threat.

“By the way, take two left turns and it’s the third door down the hall.”

The two girls leave, and they don’t waste too long. Azula is still immobilized, but they don’t know how long it’ll last. Toph steps hard on the floor to burry Azula in the ground, leaving just her head above so she can breathe. You can never be too cautious.

They follow Mai’s instructions without a word. She just helped them, whether that was voluntary or not, and they don’t have time to wonder if she’s lying: the eclipse will end soon.

The meet a few guards on the way, but they obviously aren’t used to fighting without bending and they take them out easily. When they arrive to the place Mai told them to go to, there’s injured guards all around. Some are passed out, other are holding their arms or their sides with pained groans. It’s obviously Aang and Zuko’s work.

The doors are wide open. They catch the end of a conversation (what is it with everyone wasting time with talking ?) as they arrive.

“-and it was wrong.”

“And you’ve learnt nothing.”

Ozai’s voice is dripping with disgust, heavy with hate.

Aang launches a gust of wind toward a guard- wait, no, they’re Dai Li agents. Since when are they here ? Thankfully, most of them have already been beaten.

Zuko is starting to run, swords high and ready to strike, when the clock in Sokka’s pocket clicks again.

Immediately, Ozai throws a wall of fire their way. Zuko takes control of it and parts it; Aang blows it out with a swipe of his staff. The Fire Lord’s face distorts in a grimace, ugly and full of rage. He looks at Aang, point his fingers and suddenly, electricity starts cackling all around them.

It’s so bright Sokka has to close his eyes. He wants to see, wants to know what happened and if Zuko and Aang are okay. There’s a shout, and the light dims. Sokka blinks his eyes open, waiting a few seconds for the bright spots on his eyelids to disappear. He feels himself pale when his vision comes back.

Zuko has a knee to the ground, and he’s holding his middle with pain. Aang is behind him, shouting his name and apologizing. Ozai is limp against the wall- not dead, Sokka can see his chest still moving. He almost regrets it.

He runs to Zuko, throwing his sword aside. He falls to the ground and put his hands on Zuko’s shoulders to help support him.

“Zuko !”

“Shit. I’m okay just…”

He groans, slumps forward a little more. Katara is there too, holding her water in the air and trying to understand what happened.

“Aang, you have to…”

His voice is raspier than usual, and his breathing difficult. He closes his eyes for a bit and Sokka worries he’s passed out before he lifts his head again.

“Do it now, Aang. Don’t worry about me.”

The younger boy looks torn between what he wants and what he has to do, but he ultimately decides to turn back to Ozai. Sokka lays Zuko down, and lets Katara run her water over the injury. She pushes his clothes aside in a hurry. It’s an ugly wound on his stomach, red and angry. Zuko closes his eyes, and Sokka thinks he probably feels uncomfortable being seen like this. The water tribe warrior holds his head on his lap, caress his skin with his thumbs and murmurs comforting things. Toph is standing near them, worry visible in the fidgeting of her hands and her unusual quietness.

Sokka barely hears Ozai and Aang talking a few metres away. He does feel, though, the change in the air when Aang goes into the Avatar State. He looks away from Zuko with difficulty to see Aang standing, tattoos bright in the room. Ozai looks both terrified and angry, all the dignity he had earlier gone. His robes are dirtied, his topknot falling apart. Sokka can’t see his crown anywhere, either. He didn’t deserve it anyway.

Aang puts his hands on him, and they’re once again blinded by light. It feels less dangerous this time but it still burns their eyes painfully before they have time to react. Sokka turns away and tries to protect Zuko with his body while Toph makes a wall to block the light out. She must feel it somehow, Aang’s energy.

There’s Ozai’s scream, and Sokka wonders if it hurts. Can he feel his bending fading away, is it like a limb being torn off ? Does he _know_ what’s happening ?

It lasts a few seconds, or maybe it’s a couple of minutes. The light dies down, Toph stomps and the wall she erected falls back down into the earth. Ozai is on the floor, cursing under his ragged breath. Aang takes a few steps back. He looks old, at this instant. Sokka can almost see all the Avatars before him, Kyoshi’s green dress and Roku’s white hair mixing up with those he’s never heard off.

He turns to them, a little shocked, and says :

“We did it.”

“We… we did it. You did it ! Aang, you did it !”

Katara jumps in Aang’s arms, tears streaming down her face. Toph lets out a triumphant scream, fist raised high in the air. Sokka looks at Zuko, his cheeks almost hurting from how wide he’s smiling.

“We did it.”

Zuko smiles, too. He lifts his left arm, let his fingers brush along Sokka’s cheek.

“Yeah. It’s done.”

He’s bruised all over and his hands ache from clutching his weapons too tight, but Zuko is in his arms and the Fire Lord is defeated. So it’s okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have any date to give you for the epilogue, but since it's way shorter than a normal chapter, it shouldn't be too long :)
> 
> Comments are welcomed, whether it’s about things you liked or things you disliked!


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens in the months after the war

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seeing the lack of enthusiasm for the last chapter, I'm mostly posting that for myself. I guess. 🤡. So I can't say I didn't work for six months and then didn't get to the end of it because I put a lot of energy and time in that. 
> 
> It's little things about what happens after the war, in a more... vague way.
> 
> No TW/CW for this chapter, but I do mention imprisonment, nightmare, claustrophobia and fear of fire quickly at the start.

Time goes by. Ozai is thrown in prison, screaming and struggling uselessly on the whole way here. The white lotus Warriors keeps their grip strong on him and Sokka thinks _It’ll probably bruise. Good for him._ The secret group joined the forces above, coming out of hiding to the World.

Iroh and Zuko meet outside, and they run and hug each other hard, not thinking of the injuries they both suffer from. Zuko stutters through explanations of what happened, and Iroh takes the time to tell him everything he’s done since they separated as well. He travelled to find the other members of the White Lotus, and convinced them to take more direct actions to the war. He explains the Pai Sho tile, and tell them to keep it.

When they’re back in the camp, when they’ve eaten and celebrated and the people are going home, Zuko takes Sokka’s hand and sits them down in their tent. He says “ _Tell me again_ ”, and Sokka says “ _you’re my soulmate”_. Zuko answers _“It won’t be easy.”_ He looks guilty, but he holds onto Sokka’s hand with a strong grip, like he’s afraid Sokka is going to let go.

_“Relationships aren’t always easy. It’s okay with me, I’m ready for it.”_

_“I’m still... I won’t tell you everything and I’ll mess up and make you mad-“_

_“It’s okay. It’s okay, Zuko. You don’t have to tell me everything, you know ? Just because I love you and you love me, just because we’re_ soulmates _, you don’t have to give you all to me. I won’t tell you everything either, probably. I don’t mind. You don’t belong to me. You don’t... You don’t owe me your every thought.”_

_“... okay. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t expect you to tell me everything, either.”_

(It probably comes from a different place. Sokka is about trust, and individuality. Zuko is about the way people around him have always, always had secrets and lies and things that hurt but stayed hidden.)

_“What are you sorry for ? I’m sorry too, then, because I’ll make you mad too, probably. At the end of the day, I know I love you entirely. It means when you’re mad, too.”_

_“I do, too. I promise.”_

_“Thank you. I know. You don’t have to tell me everything, remember ? There are some things I can understand even without words. You tell me a thousand things in a different way, and you have no idea how happy it makes me that you trust me enough for that.”_

Zuko doesn’t run away this time. He tenses, a flash of fear and uncertainty in his eyes. Sokka presses his forehead against the prince’s, closes his eyes and breaths until Zuko follows his rhythm. Hands find cheeks and elbows, slowly, and they hold onto each other. He does cry a bit, maybe. From relief and love and a bit of fear of the future, probably. But they cuddle the whole night, and they old hands when they’re alone and stay close as much as they can the rest of the time.

The physical injuries heal. Sokka keeps dreaming of Azula’s blue fire and the constricting walls of the bunker. He was too preoccupied, too full of adrenaline to notice, but it comes back to him at night. The heavy metal doors and the hard soil all around him, all encompassing. He wakes up short of breath, feeling like he needs to _get up_ or he’ll choke. He throws the covers and open the window in a rush; anything for fresh air.

It passes, too, with a lot of time and a lot of sleepless nights. Zuko gets a new scar, and Sokka makes a promise that it’ll be the last. (They both know he won’t be able to keep it, because Zuko will be Fire Lord one day and it won’t please everyone. Still, Sokka knows he’ll do his best. And if his soulmate does get new scars, Sokka will love them like he loves Zuko, because it’s also just a part of him.)

(Zuko asks Sokka, one evening, if he can use _they_ in addition to _he_ when Sokka talks about him. For the rest of night, Sokka says “Do they want some tea ?” and “The Fire Nation Prince is great when he fights. They have dual blades, and they’re super good at using them. Did you know that, Zuko ?”, like he’s talking to people who aren’t here. It makes them blush and laugh a bit, from the awkwardness of the situation and because it feels right. It’s good.)

Sokka goes back the South Pole for a few months to help with the reconstruction and be with his family a bit. He hugs Zuko for a very, very long time before he leaves. The Fire Nation Prince grips his clothes tight and they both fight against all they have to let go of each other.

Letters are nowhere near enough, and Sokka feels cold. Not the kind of cold he’s used to, but a bone chilling cold that fells like sleepless nights and a hole in his chest. It hurts, to put it simply, it hurts to be away from Zuko. He spent his whole childhood looking for him, for someone, and now that he had them they were separated again. He remembers making snowmen to keep him company, when he felt too lonely even with the rest of the village. He used to sit next to them and imagine out loud what their life could be. He couldn’t quite name what he felt at the time, that mix of loneliness and loss.

Hakoda sees it despite Sokka’s efforts to hide the pain. When the village is mostly back on track, he tells Sokka he was offered a place with the Northern Water Tribe Ambassador in the fire nation as an apprentice. He says yes, _of course_.

He rides on Appa with Aang. The Avatar is travelling the world now, trying to help as many people as he can. He comes back to the South Pole often to see Katara. Toph is somewhere in the Earth kingdom, installing illegal underground bending fights and teaching people to metalbend. Well, it’s not like anyone could stop her if they wanted to.

He misses them all.

When the flying bison lands on the hard floor of the Fire Nation Palace, Zuko’s waiting for them. He catches Sokka as he jumps, spins them once or twice. _This_ is where he’s supposed to be, next to Zuko, wherever that is. The guards at the door tense but Iroh dismiss them with a wave of the hand, and they look at each other before relaxing. It’s not proper for a prince but they don’t care, and Zuko buries his head in Sokka’s shoulder.

They get separated when Aang gets tired of waiting and jumps in Zuko’s arms. They got closer after the day of the Black Sun (probably because of the whole _screaming your traumas at your father’s face before taking him down in battle_ thing). The Avatar is just dropping Sokka off, having been called by the Earth King to solve some problem or another. Katara misses him a lot. When she’s not helping with the reconstruction or teaching young waterbenders the secrets of healing, she talks about him. It’s a bit annoying, but she lets Sokka talks about Zuko for hours without complaining, so he does the same for her. 

The Northern Water Tribe Ambassador is as Sokka expected. Cold, not very patient with Sokka’s antiques. Still, it’s a little bit like home (one of his homes, at least). He sees familiarity in the blue of their eyes and their clothes. It’s very interesting, and Sokka learns a lot. He finds himself at the library (the library ! He swore he wouldn’t step in another one since they almost died last time and yet, here he is), looking at old trade routes. He brings it up to the Ambassador and Zuko, how the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation used to exchange goods. The pole still needs help rebuilding, and having the support of the Fire Nation could only make their relationship better. Iroh has been trying, but you don’t erase a hundred years of violence in a few months.

Sokka works for a few weeks, sends letters to his dad, talks to the Ambassador and Zuko, and then he presents his idea to the Fire Lord. It’s just Iroh, but Sokka hates presentations and he’s shaking until Zuko takes his hands, caressing the skin with his thumb. Iroh listens to him, asks questions Sokka’s prepared for, and ends up the meeting with “this is a good idea, Sokka. I will think about it.”

And he’s not even really an ambassador yet, and he’s seventeen, but the Fire Lord accepted to think about his proposition and he hugs the old man in his excitement. And then he hugs Zuko too, just because. Iroh says “I haven’t accepted yet, you know.”, but there’s a glint in his eyes that tell Sokka that he will.

And he does. They bring back the old routes three months later, and Hakoda tells Sokka, “I’m incredibly proud of you, son” and if it makes him tear up a little, it’s between him and his dad.

He receives a scroll that says “Ambassador Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe” at the top and he puts in on _his_ desk, in _his_ office and looks at it for a long, long time. When the sun starts to fall down on the horizon, Zuko knocks at his door. They can only meet at night or on their rare free days. Zuko has a lot to do, as the Prince of the Fire Nation.

They have so much to learn about their nation and what the people before them did. It’s heavy, and Sokka knows Zuko holds in him the guilt of his family’s past mistakes. Even though it makes both of them sad, they also know Zuko can’t just ignore all the pain his country has inflicted for years. It will be their responsibility, one day.

A year after he starts working in the Fire Nation, Sokka receives a letter from the Mechanist. With it comes papers filled with ideas, things to make, things to improve. Tunnels under roads for the animals to pass, new ways to use glass, machines to travel faster, cook smarter. Sokka bursts into Zuko’s room when he’s done reading that the mechanist wants his opinion on everything, overexcited at the idea of doing something like this. He has a lot of fun thinking about each ideas, writing every questions and concerns he thinks about… But he’s the happiest when he starts seeing them actually come to live. When he sees people use the inventions he worked on, it’s a different kind of fulfilment for him. He write it down on his list of things he accomplished, right under _helping people with my job_ and _saving the world_.

Sokka and Zuko’s quarters are too far apart. Well, Sokka tends to crash a lot into Zuko’s room, although he’s never allowed to stay the night. The whole palace knows that they’re close, and there’s always a tray of Sokka’s favourite snack in Zuko’s room. The girl who leaves them here always smiles and bows at Sokka. He likes her. Still, he wishes they could just share a room, or live right next to each other. They aren’t on the same level though, since Zuko is a prince and Sokka is just an ambassador.

(Zuko told him that when they’ll get on the throne, they will have more power. No one will be able to refuse his request if he decides he wants Sokka to move closer to his quarters. And well, Iroh told them that he would to his best to lighten the stigma around same-sex relationships, even if Zuko isn’t quite a boy and they aren’t quite a couple. It’s a years long plan, though, with changes in the education cursus and such. It’s okay for them, for now. It doesn’t matter if they keep it behind closed doors.)

Sometimes when Sokka’s working late, Zuko finds him in his office. They sit on the floor with their back against his desk in silence. He takes his topknot off, and there’s a heaviness to his shoulders that’s very particular. They don’t have a name for it, but they know what it means. These nights, Sokka closes his pot of ink and puts everything aside, no matter how important it can be. He sits next to Zuko, holds them close. He uses an old piece of charcoal to colour Zuko’s nails like Mai does, and it helps a bit. They talk in low voices or stay quiet, until Zuko has to go back to his room or when their shoulders are lighter.

Suki comes to the fire nation eight months after the war ended. Her warriors and her were liberated quickly after Iroh stepped into power. Sokka feels a bit guilty for not having thought of her much when he knew what Azula wearing the Kyoshi Warriors’ uniform meant. He tells her everything about Zuko and him on the first night.

They’re not together anymore, but he knows he can trust her. She smiles and hugs him, and then she goes talk with Zuko. It’s a little tense at first, but it gets better when the Fire Prince bows down and apologizes for the damage they caused to her village. She relaxes when she sees the way they always pour Sokka’s tea first, or how he grumbles under his breath when he can’t do something, just like Sokka does. 

She tells him a day later, just before they part, that she has two girlfriends. They’re Kyoshi Warriors, like her. She says it’s common on the Kyoshi Island to be with involved with more than one person at the time, and Sokka can only hug her and tell her he’s excited to meet them. He understands, because he loves a lot of people at the same time, too. There’s his family and his friends, and Zuko, and acquaintances. He loved Suki and he loved Yue, too.

The three of them are coming to the Fire Nation as Zuko’s bodyguards. Zuko hasn’t had to face any assassination attempts, but Iroh has. They haven’t gotten to him yet. He’s the _Dragon of the West_ , after all, and has the best warriors of the fire nation to protect him. Still, he’s worried about Zuko’s security. They can’t know for sure that he’s not risking anything.

Behind her, Suki is leaving her other Kyoshi Warriors to take care of the village. It pains her, but she trusts them. Sokka can’t wait to see her (and her girlfriends).

They’re all coming to the palace. Katara, Aang, Toph, Suki and her lovers. They’re staying two nights, and Sokka is _so_ excited. Zuko too, thought he shows it less. Sokka knows they miss their friends too.

There’s going to be a big banquet for the Avatar. With music and dances and the gardens will be open, for their friends. Sokka loves the garden. At night, when it’s still warmer than his first home ever is, and there’s fireflies dancing on the surface of the pound. In the morning when the sun rises, and it bath everything in soft and warm colours. During the day, when the grass is fresh and Zuko feeds the turtleducks, and they eat on a blanket stolen from a bed. He likes it in the evening too, as the light fades away and Zuko starts getting tired at Agni’s absence.

It’s been Zuko’s favourite place since they were a child, and they don’t like to allow other people in. When he showed it to Sokka, he held his hand and sat them close to the pound. They told him childhood stories of their mom and Azula, of sitting here at night to _breath_ when everything felt like too much. He doesn’t only have good memories here, of course, but he keeps them at bay. Sokka has made so many happy memories here, too. He loves it because Zuko loves it.

Sokka is hunched over scrolls, writing frantically something official punctuated with _Good_ _Sir_ and _If you would allow me-_. He doesn’t register immediately the sounds outside, but when he starts to hear laughs and shouts, he levels his head. A quick look through the window and he sees Aang and Katara, saluting people. His chest fills with happiness and he runs, abandoning his scrolls and the open pot of ink on his desk.

He shouts an apology when he almost pushes a laundry maid in his rush, and when he finally arrives to the door he doesn’t hesitate before jumping in his sister’s arms. He lifts her and twirls a few times, before doing the same to Aang, who _definitely_ got heavier since the last time he saw him. Taller, too.

“Guys ! How was the trip ?”

“Good ! I missed riding on Appa. We’re super excited to be here. Zuko isn’t with you ?”

“Oh, we were both working. I think he had a meeting, he should be here soon.”

As he says this, the crowd part to let Zuko pass. He looks all official, the fire crown stuck in his hair and his red robes flowing behind him. They have to take a bunch of fabric in their hands as they half run to them, so they don’t trip. Sokka has seen his soulmate do this a million times, and he always finds it endearing. Princes aren’t supposed to run, which is probably was he has to wear these heavy, uncomfortable robes. Sokka’s glad he was allowed to keep _his_ clothes, even if he had to have Gran Gran send him new ones after he spent his first month in the Fire Nation. It’s just _so much hotter_ here. He didn’t feel comfortable wearing fire nation reds yet. For all it suited Zuko, it felt wrong for Sokka to wear the colours of the soldiers who had destroyed his people.

Zuko hugs Katara and Aang, and then he asks the guards if they can put Appa in the place they prepared for him. They wait for Toph in the courtyard. When she walks off of the car that brought her, she stretches and groan, before she turns to them and smiles. She doesn’t escape the hugs either.

Suki arrives fifteen minutes later, with two girls beside her. Their names are Haka and Nai, and they are very friendly, though they seem intimidated by Aang. Haka is tall, her skin dark and her eyes a deep brown. Nai is light in her steps, with short dark hair. In front of the palace’s guards, they keep a correct distance between them. When they really start working here in a month, they’ll have more freedom.

Iroh welcomes them when they arrive to the throne room with the warmth of an Uncle. As they wait for the last preparations for the banket, they sit in Zuko’s room. There’s a lot of space in front of the fireplace, with a rug and a few places to sit other than the floor. They make themselves comfortable, Sokka close to Zuko. He let their sides touches, and their hands find each other by habits.

Suki holds her girlfriends close, and no one says anything about either of the groups being too intimate for ‘friends’. Haka and Nai are very interesting people. Suki has told them all about the gaAng’s adventures, and it doesn’t take them long to be comfortable. They laugh and eat and tell stories, and everything’s good. Zuko put their head on Sokka’s lap and the ambassador strokes his hair, mindlessly. They only move when there’s a knock at the door telling them they’re awaited in the efhziedsfhijs room.

The festivities are great. There’s music, food from the four nations…The Avatar is here, so it’s a political event. There are dignitaries from everywhere, people with power Iroh couldn’t not invite. It’s a bit annoying for Zuko, but they’re also used to it. For Sokka and their friends, who hoped for a little time just together, it’s more disappointing.

At least, they get to wear their fanciest clothes. Except for Toph, who has always hated the dresses her parents put her in. Suki, Nai and Haka wear matching outfits in the colours of Kyoshi. They have golden hair pieces in their hair, and the dark green of the dresses is the same as their uniform. They have red lining their eyes and their lips, and it reminds Sokka of the first and last time he tried to do makeup. He knows for sure their fans are hidden somewhere, because Suki once told him that they don’t go anywhere without it. There’s no off time for the Kyoshi Warriors.

Sokka has been the official Southern Water Tribe Ambassador (what a mouthful) for a few months now, but he still feels a knock in his stomach when he have to present himself. He stands next to the Northern Ambassador or Zuko, shaking hands like he’s confident. And he is mostly, in his work. When he’s studying papers and writing letters to his dad, not in front of people who look at him with a glint of disgust in their eyes. This is why he doesn’t stay too far from the ambassador or Zuko; they both stend taller when there’s a racist comment, posture stiff and facial expression hard. It helps Sokka feel more confident too.

All in all, it’s pretty fun. Sokka gets to explain what he does here in details, and hear what the others are doing. There’re a few people learning metalbending under Toph’s guidance, and she sounds proud when she says it. Her underground fights are going well, though that has Katara furrows her eyebrows in displeasure.

The rebuilding of the tribe is finished, and now they’re trying to establish a connection with the northern water tribe again. Katara asks Sokka if he can write a letter to the chief, reminds him that Yue liked him. He isn’t sure if it can actually change anything, but it costs nothing to try. It doesn’t hurt that much anymore, either. He got used to it.

Aang has been helping with reparations too, in addition to all the politic he’s trying to do. He might be the Avatar, but he’s still just twelve. Sokka really wishes there was someone to help him through this, an adult who cares about him. He didn’t see Monk Gyatso’s corpse, but the look on Aang’s face when he first activated the avatar state tells him enough of the pain it brought.

They can finally get alone, long after the sun has set. Sokka sees the absence of Agni in the sag of Zuko’s shoulders, and the way his voice gets just a bit slower. They don’t sleep a lot (a mix of nightmares and trauma and being used to having to be ready to move at any moment), but it’s still visible, the effect the sunlight has on them. Iroh waves them away when servants start to come in to clean. They spend a while in the gardens, admiring the firelights. Zuko is visibly happy to have them all here, even if he doesn’t know Haka and Nai quite well. He includes them in the conversations, ask questions, answer theirs. They talk about all and nothing, and when they start to get too tired to stand but not enough to sleep, they sit in Zuko’s room again.

Zuko takes his crown off, and Sokka brushes slowly through his hair. The fire nation prince closes their eyes, melt against their soulmate. He sighs, and Sokka gently put their face on his shoulder. He has his back to the couch, and Zuko’s warmth against his, and everything’s good. Katara takes Aang’s hand with a smile, and Suki, Nai and Haka all but cuddle on the floor. Toph seems perfectly content next to the fireplace, feet planted on the floor and arms crossed on her chest. The conversation flow in an unconscious whisper, pushed by the late hour. The sky is dark through the windows, and they’re all bathing in the orange glow of the fireplace. It makes them look softer. The traces of the war fade a little as they sit here like the teenagers they are, friends sharing a moment. The scars become nothing more than distant memories, and their responsibilities are left in the doorstep.

Sokka takes it all in, feels for Yue’s presence somewhere in the back of his mind, and promises himself he won’t ever forget these moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read until then, thanks a lot. It was a nice journey and I'm sad it's ended, but well, it has to. If you have anything to say about what you liked or didn't like on this story feel free to comment. It doesn't have to be long or constructed, but it helps a lot not to feel like we're posting for no one ^^

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it !
> 
> Also tbh I'm posting this for like two people. I'm really proud of myself for writing so much tho so like... I hope other people appreciate it too :)
> 
> The art I’ve done for this story can be found on Instagram @ justmewriting_ao3 ! I’ve done quite a lot but I couldn’t find a way to post it with the text :)
> 
> Edit 21/12/20 : The name of the man who Zuko and Sokka accompany at the market has been changed from Leo to Taqtu to better fit the Water Tribe style names. It's an Inuit name that means 'kidney' (info from a person that made a post specifically about how to name SWT characters correctly, based on Inuit and Iñupiat cultures. It's @the-hot-zone on Tumblr)


End file.
